APPENDIX G

LITTLE WICHITA RIVER

RED RIVER BASIN

ARCHER CITY (ARCHER COUNTY), TEXAS

 

            1.         Introduction

 

For information and instructional purposes a Receiving Water Assessment (RWA) was conducted on the Little Wichita River on July 1, 1997 in Archer County near Archer City, Texas.  Information obtained from the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) database on flow data indicated that historically and at the time of this assessment, the Little Wichita River was classified as intermittent with perennial pools.

 

A sampling of the aquatic life found in the area included copperhead snakes, turtles, aquatic insects, minnows and fish.

 

            2.         Basis for the Assessment

 

The Little Wichita River is classified as intermittent with perennial pools, and the flow from the Archer City WWTP does not reach the Little Wichita River.  The unnamed creek that the effluent flows into is ephemeral upstream of the outfall, then downstream of the outfall, the creek flows for several hundred feet before ending where it seeps out over pastureland and evaporates.  The RWA was performed on the Little Wichita River upstream of the point that the unnamed creek would enter during a rainfall event.

 

            3.         Description of Receiving Waters

 

The receiving water at the Archer City WWTP is described as outfall number WQ0010393-002.

 

            4.         Significant Observations:

 

4.1There are no domestic drinking water intake points within five miles of the point of discharge.

 

4.2The point of discharge is within 300 feet of a classified stream segment.

 

4.3The creek is intermittent and may be dry during parts of the year with perennial pools present.

 

4.4The receiving water characteristics change within three miles of the discharge.

 

4.5The tributary flows into the Little Wichita River.

 

4.6The flow assessment is based on the observations of personnel from Red River Authority of Texas, Archer City officials, and predominately USGS flow records.

 

4.7The creek water is turbid.

 

4.8The area surrounding the waterbody is generally pastureland.

 

4.9Discarded concrete, tires and miscellaneous debris are present in the river under the bridge; debris dams are common.

 

4.10    The receiving water is influenced by oilfield activities, agricultural runoff, unknown upstream discharges and runoff from the WWTP.

 

4.11    The river has low dissolved oxygen and high turbidity.

 

4.12    Relatively a natural area, there is some development.

 

4.13    The nearest classified stream segment is 0212.

 

            5.         Summary of Physical Characteristics

 

The Little Wichita River RWA site was downstream of the bridge at Highway 79.  The Little Wichita River, an intermittent stream with perennial pools, has moderately defined bends, with little or no flow into the perennial pools during the dry parts of the year.  The surrounding vegetation is composed of trees, shrubs and grasses.  The river bank slopes moderately with erosion playing a major role when water is present.  Native rock mixed with manmade debris comprises the bottom of the river.

 

            6.         Summary of Collection Efforts

 

In order that representative species could be collected throughout the entire water column, two collection methods were used to collect samples from the Little Wichita River.

 

The kicknet method was used to collect benthic organisms; the nekton (seine) was used to collect the free swimming organisms; and electro-fishing used to collect the faster moving fish, although, electro-fishing is not feasible in waters with high conductivity.  However, because of the high concentration of debris, the seining method was eliminated.

 

Using a kicknet for five minutes yielded 17 aquatic families of insects.  The backpack electro-fishing method utilized for 15 minutes yielded six species of fish.

                7.         Summation

 

The effluent from the WWTP has no significant impact on the Little Wichita River since it generally evaporates before it reaches the river.  If the effluent were to reach the Little Wichita River, it would probably have a positive effect.