This is the Sabine River Authority
Water Quality Report for March 2007.
Water quality sampling was performed March 19th through March
22nd. Recent weather
(previous seven days) in the Sabine River Basin was warm, with daytime highs in the mid
60s to low 80s at Lake Tawakoni and at Lake Fork. Toledo Bend Reservoir and Orange had daytime highs from the upper 60s
to the low 80s. Lows ranged from the mid
30s to upper 50s at Lake Tawakoni and at Lake Fork. Toledo Bend and Orange had lows ranging from the mid 40s to
the upper 50s. During the 28 days prior
to the sample run, the Upper Basin received 2.37 and 1.52 inches of rainfall as
recorded at Lake Tawakoni
and at Lake Fork, respectively. Lake
Tawakoni received 1.52 inches of rain
and Lake Fork received 0.90 inches of rain the
week preceding the sample run. Toledo
Bend and Orange
received 1.49 and 3.58 inches of precipitation during the 28 days prior to the
sample run. Reservoir profiles indicated
thermal stratification of the water column at deeper reservoir sites in Lake Tawakoni,
Lake Fork and Toledo Bend reservoirs.
Upper Sabine Basin
Above Toledo Bend Including Lake Fork
and Lake Tawakoni
Water
quality parameter measurements at the Upper Basin
sites were consistent with water of high quality at all sites for the March
sample run. The level of Lake
Fork was recorded at 400.99 feet msl
with 22 cfs releases and the level of Lake Tawakoni
was recorded at 429.31 feet msl with 6 cfs releases at the time of
sampling. All Upper Basin sites were
within the numeric criteria stream standards for temperature, pH, dissolved
oxygen, E. coli, chloride and
sulfate.
Lower Sabine Basin
Including Toledo
Bend to Morgan Bluff
The March monthly sampling results were indicative of water
of high quality at most sites. The area
received 1.24 inches of rainfall during the week prior to sampling. The level of Toledo Bend Reservoir was
recorded at 170.01 feet with 204 cfs discharge at the time of sampling. Toledo Bend Reservoir stations were stratified
in vertical profile samples but no anoxic conditions were found. Stations BA4 and SR3 exceeded the stream standards
criteria for sulfate.
Tidal Section of
the Sabine Basin below Morgan Bluff
Most sites sampled in the Tidal portion of the Sabine Basin
had values that are consistent with water of high quality. The Tidal stations received 1.59 inches of
rainfall in the seven days prior to the sample event. Surface salinities were found at only one of
the Tidal stations. The largest salinity
value, 2.0 ppt, was found at station BB1 at 4.5 meters. All parameters measured were within the
stream standards criteria.
This Report and additional data
for these monitoring stations are available on our World Wide Web site (www.sratx.org). If you have any questions or comments
concerning this report, please contact:
Ø Upper Sabine Basin
Terry Wilson, Upper Basin Field Office Coordinator
903-878-2420 (twilson@sratx.org)
Ø Lower and Tidal Sabine Basin
Jerry Wiegreffe, Lower Basin Field Office Coordinator
409-746-3284 (jwiegreffe@sratx.org)
Ø If
above are unavailable
John Payne, Special Projects Administrator
409-746-2192 (jpayne@sratx.org)
or
Miles Hall, Environmental Services Division Manager
409-746-3284 (mhall@sratx.org)