"Bacteria In Our Bayous: Water Quality Standards and Restoration Options"

October 15-16, 2007

About The Symposium:

Most waterways in the Houston metropolitan area contain levels of indicator bacteria that may indicate they are unsafe for swimming and other recreational contact.  More and more waterways are being added to the state’s list of impaired waters each year.  This has led to a water quality restoration process that seeks to understand how much bacteria enters or regenerates in our bayous, the source of the bacteria, the types of bacteria and their relative physiological effects on humans and wildlife and how bacteria loads from wastewater, stormwater and other sources can be reduced.  This process requires the development and implementation of strategies to reduce bacteria.  These strategies will impact many citizens and governments in our regions and could result in higher costs for such municipal services as wastewater treatment and stormwater management.

Purpose:

Local leaders and environmental groups met to discuss the issues and the future of urban waterways in Houston. The purpose of the symposium was to educate the public on the necessity for immediate water quality restoration and hear from policy makers and local governments on restoration issues and options.

The Bayou Preservation Association and organizing partners:  Houston-Galveston Area Council, Harris County, Harris County Flood Control District, City of Houston, Houston Council of Engineering Companies, Greater Houston Builders Association, TCB, ENSR, PBS&J, CivilTech Engineering, Galveston Bay Estuary Program, University of St. Thomas, and the Texas Sea Grant/Texas Cooperative Extension invited policy makers and the public to explore the technical and policy issues surrounding water quality in the bayous in the two-day symposium.

Guest speakers: (click on a link to view the presentation or for biographical information)

October 15:
Moderator:	Ann Hamilton, Houston Endowment, Inc.
The Water Quality Management Framework	Michael Bloom, P.E., PBS&J, HCEC
So How's Our Water? (Local Clean Rivers Update)	Om Chawla, H-GAC
Historical Water Quality	Gary Garrett, HCFCD
Local Bacteria TMDL and Status Update	Tom Weber, TCEQ
Illicit Discharges - Brickhouse Gully	Trent Martin, Harris Co. Watershed Protection
Wastewater Discharges and Sediment Studies	Ralph Calvino, REM, TCB
Bacteria Die-Off Study:   Phase I	Jean Wright, H-GAC
Piney Point Road
Handouts
Luncheon Keynote Address	Commissioner Larry Soward, TCEQ
Moderator:	David Peters, P.E. CivilTech Engineering, Inc.
Water Quality Standards and Paper	Jim Davenport, TCEQ
Water Quality Standards	Jane Watson, Ph.D., US EPA Region 6
Use Attainability Analysis	Todd Running, H-GAC
Alternative Standard Approaches	Sharon Crabb, ENSR/TCB
Is There Really a Health Issue?	Cindy Kilborn, Harris County
TCEQ/TSSWCB Bacteria TMDL Task Force	Alan Jones, Ph.D., TWRI
October 16:
Moderator:	Robert Adair, Construction Ecoservices
Kansas Approach	Thomas C. Stiles, Kansas DHE
Watershed Protection Plan	Mark Lowry, P.E., TCB
Moderator:	Michael F. Bloom, P.E., PBS&J
Bacteria TMDL Development and Implementation	John Blount, P.E., Harris County
	Carol Ellinger, P.E., City of Houston
	Tom Beck, P.E., TxDot
	Catherine Elliott, HCFCD
	Tom Weber, TCEQ
	Linda Shead, P.E., Trust for Public Land
	Claudia Hosch, US EPA Region 6
Public Officials	Mayor Bill White
	Arthur L. Story, P.E., Harris County Infrastructure

For a brochure of the program which includes a schedule events click: brochure.

"Protecting and restoring the richness and diversity of our waterways"