Summary of 303(d)/305(b) Listed Segments from the Draft 2010 Integrated Report in the Austin area, Texas

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is required by the federal Clean Water Act sections 303(d) and 305(b) to biennially report on the quality of water bodies in Texas with available data. A review of water bodies identified as impaired or of concern in Austin was conducted. Twelve segments in Austin were identified as impaired in 2010. All but one of the twelve impairments were previously identified in 2008. The most frequent impairment was elevated bacteria levels. Two impairments previously identified in 2008 were de-listed in 2010. There are 27 assessment units in the Austin area identified as being of concern. Not all City of Austin water quality monitoring is submitted to TCEQ for assessment, and Austin’s Environmental Integrity Index is a broader and more consistent comparison of relative water quality citywide. Despite the large number of impaired or of concern water bodies, Austin maintains stream segments with excellent water quality.