San Bernard Watershed Water Quality Monitoring

Purpose/Objectives

Water quality monitoring in the San Bernard watershed consisting of ambient, wet weather and waste water treatment facility water quality monitoring.

Study Area

San Bernard Watershed, Texas

Project Period

2013 – 2014

Description/Methodology

EIH worked with the Houston-Galveston Area Council to collect water quality monitoring data for use in the San Bernard Watershed Protection Plan. Ambient water quality was monitored monthly at 12 sites and quarterly at 15 sites in the San Bernard watershed. In addition, on a quarterly basis, 15 sites were monitored during biased-flow, wet weather events. Finally, three sites located at the outfall of waste water treatment plants that discharge into the San Bernard watershed were monitored on a monthly basis. Parameters monitored included: flow, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and specific conductivity. In addition, lab tests were run on the water, that included total suspended solids (TSS), turbidity, sulfate, chloride, total hardness, nitrate + nitrite, ammonia nitrogen, orthophosphorus, total phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, E. coli, and Enterococcus.

Project Sponsors

• Houston-Galveston Area Council
• Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board

Related links

San Bernard Watershed Protection Plan