The Texas Clean Rivers Program
Canadian River Basin of Texas
Basin Highlights Report
April 1997
In 1991, the Texas Legislature authorized the enactment of
the Texas Clean Rivers Program (CRP). The Texas Natural Resource
Conservation Commission (TNRCC) developed rules for conducting
regional assessments of water quality throughout each river basin
in the state utilizing river authorities and governmental
agencies. The law requires a biennial assessment report on each
of the 23 major rivers in the state to be submitted to the
Governor's Office, the TNRCC and other agencies.
THE RIVER
The Canadian River Basin includes all or parts of 15 counties
in the Texas Panhandle. Since there is no single local entity
having jurisdiction for the entire Canadian River Basin, it was
agreed that Red River Authority of Texas, with the assistance and
support of the Canadian River Municipal Water Authority (CRMWA)
and the Palo Duro River Authority (PDRA), would conduct the water
quality assessment for the Canadian River Basin. As a tributary
to the Arkansas River, the headwaters of the Canadian River begin
in northeastern New Mexico and eventually flow into the
Mississippi. From the northeastern slopes of the Sangre de Cristo
Mountains in New Mexico, the Canadian River drops in elevation
from 9,000 feet to 3,660 feet and covers a drainage area of
12,616 square miles. The Canadian crosses a relatively flat
prairie with a gradual slope to an elevation of 2,870 feet at the
Oklahoma border intersecting two ecoregions: the Western High
Plains and Southwestern Tablelands. Average annual precipitation
varies from 25 inches in the mountainous upper reaches, 15 inches
in eastern New Mexico and 22 inches near the Texas-Oklahoma
border. There are three major reservoirs and four major aquifers
in the Texas portion of the Canadian River Basin, which provide
various water uses to more than 250,000 people.
GOALS OF THE PROGRAM
To facilitate the assessment process, the Authority divided
the basin into five manageable sub-basins (basin reaches). Each
basin reach has been further divided into subwatersheds
consistent with hydrological units to expedite improved planning,
monitoring, geographical analysis and dissemination of
information. Four principal goals established to successfully
evaluate the water quality of the Canadian River Basin and
specific objectives have been set to achieve these goals on a
priority basis. The four main goals include:
Identifying Water Quality Conditions of the
Canadian River Basin
Federal, state and local entities have been surveyed to
obtain as much available historical data as possible in
an effort to develop an interactive database of useful
information for the assessment process and provide public
access. A basinwide quality assurance project plan (QAPP)
was designed to provide a uniform guide for all
monitoring entities, thereby reducing redundancy, cost,
and strengthening data integrity. A water quality
monitoring program has been designed by basin reach to
converge available resources where it would be most
beneficial; providing data that are essential and to
verify possible pollution problems. Spatial and
parametric coverages have been expanded to provide
enhanced scientific information where necessary,
including physical, chemical and biological. These
datasets will be utilized to develop a geographical water
quality index to assist the public in obtaining a greater
understanding of their watershed's water quality.
Additionally, the public entities are routinely surveyed
by personal contact to obtain information concerning
localized water quality issues from the people who must
actually deal with them on a daily basis. This approach
has proven most successful in bringing identified water
quality issues to the table with the regulated
communities and the regulator to develop more equitable
action plans and dismiss many imposed mandates that are
not applicable in many local watersheds. Improved water
resource management, protection and conservation have
become evident as a direct result of public involvement
and dissemination of more accurate information with which
to make informed decisions.
Involving the Public through Educational Programs
A definitive plan was developed to involve citizens
throughout the basin representing municipal, industrial,
agricultural, and private sectors having a vested
interest in the Clean Rivers Program with the emphasis on
participation and education. A basinwide advisory
committee is utilized to obtain objective input regarding
the assessment process and its outcomes, assist in
prioritizing identified water quality issues and
establishing priorities for water quality monitoring
initiatives. An internet web site has been designed to
accommodate published CRP data, technical summaries,
solicit public comments, respond to local water resource
management needs and to interact with governmental
agencies. The web will provide current water quality
conditions and flood warnings for the residents of the
basin. The Authority is working toward implementing the
Texas Rivers Project (TRP) in an effort to physically
involve citizens in real-world sciences with applications
of water quality issues facing the local watersheds.
Schools located in Perryton, Canadian, Sanford and Hedley
have expressed interest in participating in this program
in which water quality data are collected, analyzed and
published as a means of enhancing education and provides
useful background characteristics of local watersheds.
The Texas Department of Transportation's environmental
department in Amarillo has agreed to sponsor and assist
in monitoring in this area.
An annual water resource conference is held in Wichita
Falls to establish opportunities for the public,
regulators and professionals to present and discuss high
priority, water quality and environmental issues
impacting their local watersheds. Average attendance is
approximately 200 per year, and reaches much of the four
state area. Other educational materials include a
comprehensive biennial assessment report, an annual water
quality summary report, an elementary-level water
education program and quarterly newsletters. Because of
the CRP's emphasis on education, awareness and
participation, several thousand people have become more
aware of the important issues surrounding the achievement
of a balance between man and natural resources.
Finding Feasible Solutions for Controlling
Pollution
The assessment process evaluated existing pollution
control and abatement programs with regard to identified
water quality concerns. While regional activities impact
the local watersheds, site specific problems were found
to be intensified by the larger scale influences of
naturally occurring and anthropogenic pollution to
receiving waters. Elevated levels of chlorides in the
Canadian River Basin originate from an underlain shallow
brine aquifer near Logan, New Mexico. This aquifer is
under artisan pressure and contains water about as salty
as seawater. This brine is leaking upwards to the
Canadian River. The Lake Meredith Salinity Control
Project plans to intercept the flow with wells drilled
along the river, and then dispose the brine by deep well
injection or other means. This project would decrease the
undesirable elevated concentrations of chlorides in Lake
Meredith, which is the primary public drinking water
supply for the Texas Panhandle. The effectiveness of the
Salinity Control Project is a means of reclaiming full
benefit of the resources. Treated discharges are
monitored closely to insure that the impact to receiving
waters is compatible with the ecosystem and maintains
balance with natural habitats. Watershed runoff from
urban and agricultural activities are major contributors
of pollution and effective control programs are being
implemented to reduce adverse impacts resulting from
agricultural and livestock practices. The collection,
management and analysis of sufficient water quality data
are key elements in determining reasonable scientific
solutions to maintaining and improving the quality and
availability of natural resources. The CRP is
accomplishing these tasks and represents the combined
efforts and determination of the stakeholders.
Providing Administrative and Technical Assistance
to Local Entities
The CRP is designed and continuously critiqued by the
stakeholders to provide local assistance to municipal,
industrial and agricultural sectors with waste load
evaluations, receiving waters assessments and nonpoint
source pollution control strategies through the
establishment of localized stream standards. Coordination
of permitting and providing quality assured data enable
both the regulator and the regulated community to work
together in finding reasonable solutions and improved
management practices for protecting the water resources.
One such example is the development of a common QAPP.
Surveys of the local entities are conducted routinely to
identify and prioritize local water quality issues and
needs. The assimilated data are growing in popularity for
use in local planning and water resource management due
to its accuracy and ready access. Being able to find the
information along with other related data enable local
communities to combat many of the unfunded mandates being
imposed by the federal government without regard to local
considerations.
Questions, Comments & Suggestions
Red River Authority of Texas
900 8th Street, Suite 520
Hamilton Building
Wichita Falls, TX 76301-6894
