To: Interested Parties
From: Environmental Services division
RE: april
2000 Water
Quality Monitoring Report
This is the Sabine River Authority
Water Quality Summary for April 2000. Water quality sampling was
performed April 11 through April 13. Daytime high air temperatures during
the seven days prior to the sampling dates ranged from 60 to 84 degrees in the
Upper Basin and in the 60’s and 70’s in the Lower Basin. Nighttime lows
in the Upper Basin have ranged from 35 to 56 degrees. Low temperatures in the
Lower Basin have ranged from 37 to 64 degrees. A significant rainfall
event on April 12 strongly influenced some parameters.
Upper
Sabine Basin Above Toledo Bend Including Lake Fork and Lake Tawakoni
For the April sample run, most of
the water quality values seen at the Upper Basin sites were consistent with
water of high quality. A rain event on April 12 during the sample run
resulted in some high values for turbidity and fecal coliform at river sites
sampled that day. Fecal coliform to fecal streptococcal ratios at these
sites indicate the high bacteria values were not due to human sources.
Water Temperature and dissolved oxygen values at Lake Tawakoni and Lake Fork
were very similar throughout the water column. Ammonia was elevated at
SR15.
Lower
Sabine Basin Including Toledo Bend to Morgan Bluff
April WQM sampling results were indicative of high
water quality at most sites. Profiles taken at deep-water stations on the
reservoir exhibited thermal stratification with near-anoxic conditions at
approximately 15 meters. Stations TB6N,
TB6I, TB8 and BA4 had fecal counts above stream standards. Station BA4, compared to other sites
analyzed during this sampling event, had higher sulfate and chloride levels and
slightly higher conductivity readings.
Station BA4 is sampled from a bayou that receives discharge from a paper
mill.
Tidal
Section of the Sabine Basin below Morgan Bluff
Stations sampled in the tidal portion of the Sabine Basin
had values that were consistent with water of high quality. Stations SR1, SRT2, SRT1 and ICW1 had fecal
counts above stream standards. Recent rainfall before and during the sampling
event could have contributed to the elevated fecal counts. Salinity was recorded at all four tidal
stations: SRT1, SRT2, BB1 and ICW1. The
greatest salinity reading observed was 18 ppt at Station SRT1. A definite salt-water wedge was detected at
all tidal sites with no thermal stratification.
This
Report and additional data for these monitoring stations are available on our
World Wide Web site (www.sra.dst.tx.us).
If you have any questions or comments concerning this report, please contact:
Ø
Upper Sabine Basin
John Payne, Upper Basin Field Office Coordinator
903-878-2420 (sraubfo@yahoo.com)
Ø
Lower and Tidal Sabine Basin
Cynthia Darbonne, Lower Basin Field Office Coordinator
409-746-3284 (darbonne@sra.dst.tx.us)
Ø
If
above are unavailable
Miles Hall, Assistant Division Manager Environmental Services
409-746-3284 (mhall@sra.dst.tx.us)
Printed Monday, September 18, 2000