To:            Interested Parties

From:      Water Resources Branch

RE:            June 2004 monthly Water Quality Report

This is the June 2004 Sabine River Authority Water Quality Report for water quality sampling performed June 7th through June 10th. Recent weather (previous seven days) in the Sabine River Basin was warm, with daytime high air temperatures from the low 80s to the low 90s at Lake Tawakoni and at Lake Fork. Toledo Bend Reservoir and Orange had daytime highs from the mid 80s to the mid 90s.  Lows ranged from the low 60s to the low 70s at Lake Tawakoni and at Lake Fork.  Toledo Bend and Orange had lows ranging from the mid 60s to the high 70s.  Lake Tawakoni and Lake Fork exhibited thermal stratification.  During the 28 days prior to the June sample run, the Upper Basin received 4.09 and 6.20 inches of rainfall as recorded at Lake Tawakoni and Lake Fork, respectively.  The week prior to the sample run, Lake Tawakoni received 2.07 inches and Lake Fork received 4.94 inches of rain.  Toledo Bend and Orange received 6.90 and 10.05 inches, respectively, during the 28 days preceding the sample run.

Upper Sabine Basin Above Toledo Bend Including Lake Fork and Lake Tawakoni

For the June sample run, most water quality parameter measurements at Upper Basin sites were consistent with water of high quality.  SR22 did not meet the Texas Surface Water Quality Stream Standards (stream standards) numeric criteria for dissolved oxygen. LF20, SR15, SR14 and SR11 exceeded the stream standards numeric criteria for E. coli.

Lower Sabine Basin Including Toledo Bend to Morgan Bluff

The June monthly sampling results were indicative of water of high quality at most sites.  The area received approximately one-half inch of rain during the sample run and nearly two inches during the week prior to sampling.  The level of Toledo Bend Reservoir was recorded at 171.52 feet and was slowly rising with no discharge from the spillway at the time of sampling.  Most lake stations were stratified with pH and dissolved oxygen differences throughout the water column, and anoxic conditions were found at the deepest depths at several stations.  Stations TB8 and TB7A recorded dissolved oxygen levels that were below stream standards, but it was noted that this area had high flow and turbidity from recent rains.  Station BA4, located on a main tributary stream in Louisiana, had a bacterial count above the stream standards.

Tidal Section of the Sabine Basin below Morgan Bluff

Most sites sampled in the tidal portion of the Sabine Basin had values consistent with water of high quality.  The tidal stations received a few tenths of rainfall during the sampling period, and nearly one-half inch the week prior to the sample run.  Most sites in this section of the Basin showed signs of stratification, but no anoxic conditions were found at any tidal station.  Only one tidal station recorded a surface salinity greater than 1 ppt.  The highest salinity value was recorded at station SRT1, 9 ppt at a depth of 10.7 meters.  All parameters in the tidal section of the Basin were within the stream standards

 

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
Terry Wilson, Upper Basin Field Office Coordinator
903-878-2420 (twilson@sra.dst.tx.us)

Ø      Lower and Tidal Sabine Basin
Jerry Wiegreffe, Lower Basin Field Office Coordinator
409-746-3284 (jwiegreffe@sra.dst.tx.us)

Ø      If above are unavailable
John Payne, Special Projects Administrator
409-746-2192 (jpayne@sra.dst.tx.us)
or
Miles Hall, Resource Management/ Project Development Division Manager
409-746-2192 (mhall@sra.dst.tx.us)

 

Printed Monday, November 01, 2004 At 11:44