This is the Sabine River Authority
Water Quality Report for April 2007.
Water quality sampling was performed April 16th through April
18th. Recent weather
(previous seven days) in the Sabine River Basin was warm, with daytime highs in the low
50s to low 80s at Lake Tawakoni and at Lake Fork. Toledo Bend Reservoir and Orange had daytime highs from the mid 50s to
the low 80s. Lows ranged from the low
40s to low 50s at Lake Tawakoni and at Lake Fork. Toledo Bend and Orange had lows ranging from the upper 30s to
the upper 50s. During the 28 days prior
to the sample run, the Upper Basin received 5.13 and 3.74 inches of rainfall as
recorded at Lake Tawakoni
and at Lake Fork, respectively. Lake
Tawakoni received 0.76 inches of rain
and Lake Fork received 0.79 inches of rain the
week preceding the sample run. Toledo Bend
and Orange
received 3.24 and 5.99 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 April sample
run. The level of Lake Fork was recorded at 402.02 feet msl with 22 cfs
releases and the level of Lake
Tawakoni was recorded at 431.10
feet msl with 6 cfs releases at the time of sampling. All Upper Basin stations
were within the stream standards numeric criteria for temperature, pH, dissolved
oxygen, chloride and sulfate. Stations
LF20 and BS9 exceeded the stream standards numeric criteria for E. coli.
Lower
Sabine Basin
Including Toledo
Bend to Morgan Bluff
The April monthly sampling results were indicative of water of
high quality at most sites. The area received 1.42 inches of rainfall
during sampling and the week prior. The level of Toledo Bend Reservoir
was recorded at 170.91 feet with 204 cfs discharge at the time of
sampling. Toledo Bend Reservoir stations were slightly stratified in
vertical profile samples, but no anoxic conditions were found. Stations
TB6CN and BT1 exceeded the stream standards criteria for bacteria. Runoff
from recent thunderstorms in the area could be a likely cause for the higher
results.
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 2.13 inches of rainfall in the seven days prior to and during
the sample event. Surface salinities were found at three of the Tidal
stations. The largest salinity value, 8 ppt, was found at station SRT1A
at 8.0 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)