This is the Sabine River Authority Water Quality Report for
November 2004. Water quality sampling
was performed November 8th through November 11th. Recent weather (previous seven days) in the Sabine River Basin
was mild, with daytime highs from the mid 50s to the low 80s at Lake Tawakoni
and at Lake Fork.
Toledo Bend Reservoir and Orange
had daytime highs from the low 60s to the mid 80s. Lows ranged from the low 40s to the mid 50s
at Lake Tawakoni
and at Lake Fork.
Toledo Bend and Orange
had lows ranging from the mid 40s to the upper 60s. 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 3.38 and 4.45 inches of rainfall as recorded at Lake
Tawakoni and at Lake Fork,
respectively. Lake
Tawakoni and Lake Fork
received 0.41 and 0.37 inches of rainfall the week preceding the sample
run. Toledo Bend and Orange received 6.27 and 7.97 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 November sample
run. The level of Lake
Fork was recorded at 401.64 feet msl
with 8 cfs releases and the level of Lake
Tawakoni was recorded at
436.41 feet msl with 6 cfs releases at the time of sampling. LF3, LT23A,
LT23C, LT23D and SR19 exceeded the screening criteria for chlorophyll a.
LT23C and LT23D also exceeded 100% saturation for dissolved oxygen. High chlorophyll a levels in conjunction with dissolved oxygen saturation values exceeding
100% often indicate algal bloom conditions.
All reservoir and stream sites were within stream standard levels for E. coli.
Lower Sabine Basin
Including Toledo
Bend to Morgan Bluff
The November monthly sampling results were indicative of
water of high quality at most sites. The
area received only trace amounts of rainfall during the seven days prior to
sampling, but over 4 inches just beyond that timeframe. The level of Toledo Bend Reservoir was
recorded at 168.75 feet msl with 7,244 cfs discharge at the time of sampling. All reservoir stations were slightly
stratified, with pH and dissolved oxygen differences throughout the water
column, but no anoxic conditions were found.
Station TB6LN had a dissolved oxygen percent saturation that was above
the screening criteria. Chlorophyll a results above the screening criteria
were also found at stations TB6R and TB6F.
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 7.01 inches of
rainfall during the seven days prior to the sample run. Most of the sites in this section of the
Basin were well mixed with only slight stratification. No anoxic conditions were found at any tidal
station. Surface salinities were only
found at two tidal stations with the highest value of 5 ppt found at station
BB1. A salinity of 5 ppt was also found
at stations ICW1 and SRT1 at their deepest depths. All but two tidal stations
recorded Enterococcus results that
were above the stream standard criteria.
This could be linked to the very heavy rainfall prior to the sample
run.
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)