This is the Sabine River Authority Water Quality Report for
October 2004. Water quality sampling was
performed October 11th through October 14th. Recent weather (previous seven days) in the Sabine River Basin
was mild, with daytime highs from the mid 60s to the mid 80s at Lake Tawakoni
and at Lake Fork.
Toledo Bend Reservoir and Orange
had daytime highs from the low 70s to the mid 80s. Lows ranged from the low to upper 60s at Lake Tawakoni
and at Lake Fork.
Toledo Bend and Orange
had lows ranging from the low 50s to the low 70s. The waters of Lake
Tawakoni and Lake Fork
were mixed, exhibiting no thermal stratification. During the 28 days prior to the sample run,
the Upper Basin
received 2.33 and 4.76 inches of rainfall as recorded at Lake
Tawakoni and at Lake Fork,
respectively. Lake
Tawakoni and Lake Fork
received 1.77 and 4.13 inches of rainfall the week preceding the sample
run. Toledo Bend and Orange received 5.87 and 5.09 inches,
respectively, during the 28 days prior to the sample run.
Upper Sabine Basin
Above Toledo Bend Including Lake Fork
and Lake Tawakoni
Most water quality parameter measurements at the Upper Basin
sites were consistent with water of high quality for the October sample run. The level of Lake
Fork was recorded at 401.73 feet msl
with 64 cfs releases and the level of Lake Tawakoni
was recorded at 436.51 feet msl with 0 cfs releases (temporary non-release
to accommodate construction) at the time of sampling. LT23A exceeded the screening criteria for
chlorophyll a, and LT23D exceeded the
screening criteria for ortho-phosphate.
All reservoir and stream sites were within stream standard levels for E. coli.
Lower Sabine Basin
Including Toledo
Bend to Morgan Bluff
The October monthly sampling results were indicative of water
of high quality at most sites. The area
received approximately two inches of rainfall during the seven days prior to
sampling. The level of Toledo Bend
Reservoir was recorded at 168.42 feet msl with 174 cfs discharge at the time of
sampling. All reservoir stations were
stratified, with pH and dissolved oxygen differences throughout the water
column, but anoxic conditions were only found at the two deepest lake
stations. All measured parameters were
within the stream standards criteria.
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 3.47 inches of
rainfall the week prior to the sample run.
Most of the sites in this section of the Basin showed some stratification,
but anoxic conditions were only found at one station. Surface salinities were found at all but one
tidal station with the highest value of 6 ppt found at station SRT1. The overall greatest salinity value of 14 ppt
was found at station SRT1C at a depth of 11.0 meters. Station BB1 recorded Enterococcus results that were above the stream standard
criteria.
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)