TCRP Goals

The goal of the Clean Rivers Program is to maintain and improve the quality of water resources within each river basin in Texas through an ongoing partnership involving the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, other agencies, river authorities, regional entities, local governments, industry, and citizens. The program will use a watershed management approach to identify and evaluate water quality issues, establish priorities for corrective action, and work to implement those actions.

Goal 1

Ensure Efficient Use of Public Funds

Encourage 10 percent cap on administrative expenses
Adhere to generally accepted accounting standards and reporting
Employ proper procurement procedures
Maintain effective administration of contracts and sub contracts

Goal 2

Enhance Public Participation and Outreach

Provide forums for citizens to contribute their ideas and concerns to the process
Give local citizens the opportunity to indicate the most important or pressing issues through steering committees, public meetings, and other forums. Provide information necessary to balance local priorities with regional, state, and federal priorities
Increase public awareness of water quality and local pollutant sources
Communicate information on water resource issues to the public
Work to expand the role of the public in water quality management issues
Promote volunteer environmental monitoring of local water bodies, rivers, creeks, and streams

Goal 3

Encourage Comprehensive and Cooperative Watershed Planning

Foster cooperation among federal, state, regional, and local planning agencies and governments, regulated entities, and the public
Link water quality and water quantity
Reduce duplication of effort by coordinating local and regional monitoring programs
Foster greater cooperation with neighboring states and Mexico
Coordinate watershed assessments with bay and estuary assessments

Goal 4

Maintain Basin-Wide Water Quality Monitoring Programs

Maintain a quality-assured routine, systematic, targeted, and volunteer monitoring plan
Develop a cooperative, accepted quality assurance project plan
Encourage participation in water quality training events
Coordinate with other basin monitoring entities

Goal 5

Develop and Maintain a River Basin Water Quality Database Clearinghouse

Maintain a database management plan
Collect information on factors in the watershed that have the potential to impact water quality
Provide information to interested parties

Goal 6

Provide Quality Assured Data to the Commission for Use in Water Quality Decision Making

Collect quality assured water quality data for permit decisions, standards development, stream classification, 305(b), 303(d), TMDL development, and other applications

Goal 7

Focus on Priority Issues and Address Local Initiatives

Identify the most immediate, potential threats to high quality waters
Prioritize existing water quality problems with input from steering committee members
Focus resources on problem areas through the use of intensive studies or pilot projects

Goal 8

Identify, Analyze, and Report on Water Quality Issues and Potential Causes of Pollution

Perform basin assessment of water quality on a watershed basis
Analyze the data to identify priority watersheds using a scientifically based method
Analyze the data to determine the most likely sources of the water quality problem
Identify potential threats to water quality from point and nonpoint sources
Describe activities and findings in reports for interested parties

Goal 9

Identify and Evaluate Alternatives for Preventing and Reducing Pollution

Work with regional entities to identify best management practices and preventive or remedial measures
Increase cooperation among natural resource agencies and local entities to address issues in a coordinated manner
Provide results of assessment activities to stakeholders responsible for managing the outcome and work toward addressing the problem