Aqua Vitae

Hello Aqua Vitae subscribers. In this, the first exclusively online version of the Colorado River Watch Network’s newsletter, view a slideshow of Bastrop State Park post-fire and read about assessing water quality impacts in the area. Also in this issue you’ll learn the location and date change for the CRWN Stewardship Workshop and some tips for accurate dissolved oxygen measurements. Thanks for participating!

Bastrop County Wildfire Water Quality Monitoring and Recovery

by Bryan Cook water quality supervisor

On Labor Day Weekend 2011, wildfires began near Highway 290 and the town of Paige. A separate wildfire began off FM 1441 near Highway 21. As a result of ongoing drought and strong, gusty winds in excess of 30 mph, the wildfires quickly joined and continued to burn, moving in a southeasterly direction. Ultimately the Bastrop County Complex Fire scorched more than 34,000 acres and destroyed 1,600 homes. Much of the area known as the Lost Pines was lost, including habitat for the endangered Houston Toad and Bastrop State Park. Recovery of this unique ecosystem will be measured in years.

Developing a Plan to Assess Water Quality Impacts

In response to this natural disaster, LCRA developed a water quality monitoring plan to assess the impact to local tributaries and the Colorado River. The plan outlined ambient and stormwater monitoring for about 185 parameters, including routine water chemistry, metals, semi-volatile organic compounds and volatile organic compounds.

Monitoring Sites

Monitoring stations were located at the Colorado River at Bastrop (upstream control point), Colorado River at Colovista (where the fire reached the river), Colorado River at Smithville (downstream of all the fire activity), and Alum Creek (tributary watershed where 80 percent of the fire occurred).

Alum Creek Total Suspended Solids

Not surprisingly, total suspended solids were elevated during and immediately after periods of stormwater runoff. Total suspended solid concentrations were about 2.5 times higher in Alum Creek than other monitoring locations, indicating significant soil erosion occurring in the watershed.

Total Suspended Solids

After 3.85 inches of rain in January, 2012 total suspended solids rose about two times higher at Alum Creek than at any other location, pointing to significant soil erosion. Subsequent runoff events in February and March continued to show higher TSS concentrations in Alum Creek than the Colorado River at Bastrop.

Other Tests Yield Acceptable Levels

The volatile organics and semi-volatile organics were either below or slightly above detectable limits. For parameters with a water quality criterion, the concentrations have generally been below the water quality criteria. Measurements of metals have been reported in levels not expected to cause harm to human health or aquatic life.

Recovery Moves Forward

LCRA staff participated in the Lost Pines Recovery Team discussions and meetings with a consortium of local, state and federal entities through which the Lost Pines Habitat Recovery Master Plan was finalized. This 5-year, multi-million dollar effort will accelerate recovery of native vegetation and significantly reduce soil erosion. Efforts by the team to fund the plan are underway, primarily through grants and donations.

calendar

UPCOMING EVENTS

Secchi Dip-In June 23 through July 15, 2012. Join the effort to capture water clarity trends across the nation by capturing your secchi or transparency measurement when you visit your monitoring site during this time-frame. Then just submit your full data set to CRWN as usual. Learn more about the Secchi Dip-In.

Save the Date! CRWN Stewardship Workshop on November 3 in southeast Austin at the AWU Center for Environmental Research (CER) at the Hornsby Bend Biosolids Plant. Guest speaker will be Kevin Anderson, CER Director. More details to come. (*Please note that the workshop date has changed from the previous announcement.*)

TECHNICAL CORNER

When decanting the fixed sample into the titration vial, check that the bottom of the meniscus (a concave curved layer of liquid) is sitting on top of the 20 mL line.

When decanting the fixed sample into the titration vial, check that the bottom of the meniscus (a concave curved layer of liquid) is sitting on top of the 20 mL line.

Some tips for accurate dissolved oxygen measurements

by Robin Berry water quality coordinator

The Winkler method of dissolved oxygen titration has been in practice for a long time and when done properly can yield very accurate results. It is important to allow time for the chemical reaction to occur completely or you will risk underestimating the amount of dissolved oxygen present. Below are some directions (from the CRWN monitoring manual) and tips to make your dissolved oxygen measurement as accurate as possible.

 

 

 

 

Step Tip
After the addition of the first two reagents: Manganous Sulfate and Alkaline Potassium Iodide
Step 6: …carefully cap and gently invert 25 times.
Watch the precipitate in the sample as you invert the bottles. You will notice it swirling around. Allow enough time for this precipitate to mix throughout the water column instead of flipping the bottle quickly.
When preparing the titration vials
Step 11: Fill the vial with the sample to the 20-mL mark, making sure that the bottom of the meniscus (curvature of the liquid) is sitting on top of the white line.
Hold the titration vial so that the cap is level from front to back and view at eye level, or place on a level surface and view from there.
Beginning titration
Step 16: Gently press the plunger down, adding one drop at a time and swirling thoroughly after each drop, until the sample becomes several shades lighter than the original fixed sample.
You might think you can shortcut the process by estimating what your results will be from past measurements and adding several drops of sodium thiosulfate at a time, but to do so may render your results less accurate.
Step 16 continued: Any drop hanging on the outside of the titrator must be added to the solution, as it has reduced the remaining amount in the titrator. Flick the titrator so any remaining drops land in the sample before deciding whether or not another drop is needed.
After the addition of starch indicator
Step 19: …continue adding the Sodium Thiosulfate drop by drop, mixing after each drop, until the blue color begins to disappear.
It is important to mix well as you titrate the entire sample. Be careful not to splash sample onto the lid. Mix longer rather than more vigorously. The color change will occur only in the top layer unless you mix thoroughly.

When starch indicator is added, the blue color should be well mixed. As each drop of titrant is added, swirl carefully and thoroughly.

When starch indicator is added, the blue color should be well mixed. As each drop of titrant is added, swirl carefully and thoroughly.

ACTIVITY REPORT

Between February 16, 2012, and May 31, 2012, 96 water quality monitors contributed 287 data submittals. The following volunteers deserve congratulations for their efforts to protect water quality. All data may be viewed at the CRWN sites map and data tables.

John Ahrns
Erin Barker
Susan Bartoli
Terry Bartoli
Jeff Bauknecht
Don Beal
Lenny Blumberg
Donna Blumberg
Steve Box
David Boyd
Phil Bredfeldt
Michael Brewster
William Brock
Ray Buchanan
Alison Bullington
Jay Bullington
J.P. Burchett
Amanda Burke
Barbara Caballero
Duncan Charlton
Ann Clift
Melissa Cole
Adam Comer
Nicholas Cowey
Sam Crowther
Walter Curry
Douglas DeVidal
Bret Dingley
Terri Dingley
Diana Duenas
Mary Eastberg
Blair Feller
Renee Fields
Diana Gale
Billy Gravitt
Marsha Hardy
Jeff Henke
Scott Henry
Willow Howard
Jae Howard
Brett Hulboy
Vera Janes
Jennifer Jeffery
Russ Johnson
Meredith Keelan
Laura Kelly
Mike Kersey
Sue Kersey
Roger Kew
Shauna LaFrance
Linda Lowenthal
Brent Lyles
Jayson May
Kathleen McCormack
Judy McCoy
Matthew Melton
Matt Morrison
Jeff Noftz
Marcus O'Connor
Pat Olsen
RoxAnne Parker
Ann Raborn
Heather Rein
Colin Rice
Melissa Rothrock
Judy Schlotzhauer
Winston Schroeder
Jeff Schwarz
Russell Seguin
Scott Shaffer
Terri Siegenthaler
Jim Simmons
Therese Simmons
Leo Slaton
Victoria Smith
Stan Smith
Heidi Sosinski
Katie Springer
Jerry Stacy
Cliff Stripling
Betsy Terrel
Lorie Walters
Bryce Welch
Elisabeth Welsh
Ken Westlake
Douglas Wierman
Sally Wolfe
Phil Wyde
Sheryl Yantis
Robert Yantis
Jenny Yarbrough
Kate Young
Sarah Young
Terry Young
Wesley Young
Joan Zahornacky

HELP WANTED

Colorado River at Riverside Park, Bay City

Make this beautiful stretch of the Colorado River your own. Become a certified volunteer water quality monitor.

Volunteers wanted to monitor the Colorado River at Columbus, Wharton or Bay City. Must be willing to sample at about the same time of day each month for a period of at least two years. Volunteers report that participation in the program offers a unique opportunity to be directly involved in environmental management. The experience affords them a deeper understanding of ecological systems and strengthens their ability to communicate about water issues within their communities. Contact robin.berry@lcra.org.

MONITOR SPOTLIGHT

Wilbarger Creek Wildlife and Water

by CRWN volunteer Duncan Charlton

Duncan Charlton

Duncan participated in the Texas Parks and Wildlife Mussel Watch Workshop held at the site he monitors on Wilbarger Creek.

I like to stay aware of what's flowing past our small-scale cattle farm on the south bank of Wilbarger Creek. Our place is about five creek miles from the confluence with the Colorado (between FM 969 and the City of Bastrop) and the steep banks are surrounded by wooded farm and ranch land covered with tree species, including post oak, burr oak, pecan, ash, and a few cedars. Livestock typically cannot get to the water's edge here and there are relatively few road crossings between Pflugerville and the Colorado River.

Wilbarger Creek

While kayaking this stretch of Wilbarger Creek, near Lower Elgin Road, beaver and river otter have been spotted.

Wilbarger Creek supports abundant wildlife. My wife and I often kayak a one-mile portion of the creek adjacent to the farm; in this stretch we've seen beaver, river otter, and a wide variety of birds, fish, and reptiles. The 11-1/2 foot alligator killed a year ago lived a few hundred yards downstream of my monitoring site, and our neighbor saw a cougar in mid-April. LCRA used this publicly accessible site at Lower Elgin Road for macroinvertebrate, fish and habitat surveys. This location was utilized by University of Texas vertebrate natural history students for several fish and reptile population studies and Texas Parks and Wildlife completed the field study portion of the Texas Mussel Watch Workshop here.

Highs and Lows

Our stretch of spring-fed Wilbarger Creek didn’t dry up completely during the drought of 2011, but did subside to isolated pools two to three feet deep. The low level allowed me to do a mussel survey locating five native species. Wilbarger can rise to raging levels, though. Five years ago widespread rains east of I-35 brought the level up 31 feet at our farm and earlier this year four flood events raised the creek in excess of 12 feet. The highest rise was 27 feet above typical non-flood level and brought many tons of debris, mainly in the form of dead trees, downstream.

Protecting the Creek from Future Impacts

As a CRWN volunteer, I know I’ll be able to notify the right people if significant changes start happening. I do expect changes because of the increase in the number of permits to release treated sewage into Wilbarger Creek. Austin metropolitan growth to the northeast also will eventually increase human density along the creek's upper banks. At this time, agricultural runoff does not appear to be a significant threat to the creek, judging by the low nitrate and E.coli levels seen since I began monitoring here about two years ago.

Benefits of the Volunteer Commitment

The CRWN monitoring model has been a good fit for me. My questions are readily answered (how to report floating pollen) and I can get further training when needed (reading incubated petri dish samples). A pleasant side effect of water monitoring is the exposure to interesting like-minded people we might not have met otherwise, many who are also involved in other environmental protection and monitoring efforts of interest.

WELCOME NEW MONITORS

Newly certified volunteer Wesley Young was recognized for his CRWN program participation by his employer, C P&Y, Inc., where he is a water resources manager. He will bring his substantial skill set to bear at Walnut Creek below Interstate Highway 35 near the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality offices.

Ann Raborn, Environmental Systems teacher at La Grange High School, also has recently trained. The high school is conveniently located within walking distance of the monitoring site at White Rock Park. Ann plans to bring her three classes to the river and incorporate water quality into the curriculum.

Ann Raborn

La Grange High School Environmental Systems teacher plans to bring her three classes to the river and include water quality in her curriculum.

FOND FAREWELLS

  • Jimbo Miller monitored water quality of the Llano River at the Llano City Park and below Highway 16 beginning in October of 2008. Jimbo consistently and reliably collected data from his two sites at the beginning of every month and has submitted 81 data points during his time with the CRWN program. He is currently in Wales working as a project manager for the construction of a recycling plant.
  • Betsy Roberts sampled Shoal Creek at Northwest Park in Austin. She was certified as a CRWN volunteer in November of 2009 and has submitted 28 data points during her time with the program. Betsy went the extra mile by monitoring for E. coli, transparency and photo documentation. She is moving to Pennsylvania to take a job in the environmental field.
  • Maria Alonso was certified as a CRWN volunteer in August of 2007 and has collected 34 data points at her site on Lady Bird Lake above Longhorn Dam. She monitored with long-time friend Shaun Auckland. Maria will no doubt continue to spread the good word of water quality protection in her professional career as an LCRA environmental coordinator.
  • Shaun-Marie Auckland began testing water quality with the CRWN program in the fall of 2003 and has since submitted 33 data points from Lady Bird Lake and the Colorado River at Wilbarger Bend. She enthusiastically educates others on the importance of proper waste disposal and water quality protection through her work with the City of Austin Hazardous Waste Disposal.
  • April Rose is retiring from water quality monitoring after 4 years. She established the site at Gilleland Creek at Swenson Rd. in Pflugerville in January of 2008. The site will continue to be monitored by Colin Rice. April is currently the executive director of TreeFolks, a Central Texas urban forestry charity that since 1989 has planted 250,000 trees in and around Austin.
  • Dan Rodgers retired from sampling Bee Creek at Bee Creek Road after fulfilling his two year commitment. Though the creek was dry much of the time during his stint, Dan made up for the lack of water by conducting a creek clean-up with his daughter. Together, they collected four and a half 18-gallon bags of trash.



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