Attoyac Bayou Recreational Use Attainability Analysis

The Attoyac Bayou, Segment 0612, is one sub-watershed within the Upper Neches River Watershed that is experiencing changes in its hydrologic regime, and subsequent changes in water quality. Watershed dynamics have changed over time and environmental stressors have been exacerbated through expanded human influences and increasing demand for water resources, increasing pollutant load and the concentration of pollutant loads. These changes have resulted in the elevation of bacteria and nutrient levels relative to Texas Surface Water Quality Standards (TSWQS). The Bayou extends approximately 82 miles from its headwaters in Rusk County and flows through Nacogdoches, San Augustine and Shelby Counties before emptying into Sam Rayburn Reservoir. The watershed contains several named communities including Chireno, Attoyac, Martinsville, Grigsby, Garrison and others; however, these are small rural communities. Chireno and Garrison are the only two with Census Bureau estimated populations for 2007 of 419 and 858 respectively. The remainder of the area is predominantly managed for agricultural (cattle and poultry), silvicultural, recreational and wildlife uses and contains many rural residents and four known permitted wastewater discharges totaling a maximum of 338,000 gallons per day. The Attoyac Bayou watershed is one of many rural watersheds that are included in the Texas Water Quality Inventory and 303(d) List as an impaired water body due to excessive E. coli levels, and currently does not support the primary contact recreation use as defined by TSWQS. The TSWQS designates the Attoyac Bayou for primary contact recreation use (TCEQ 2010a). Amendments made to TSWQS in 2010 include the expansion of three use categories for contact recreation: Primary Contact Recreation (PCR), Secondary Contact Recreation 1 (SCR1), and Secondary Contact Recreation 2 (SCR2). Also included in TSWQS is the category of Noncontact Recreation (NCR). The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), utilizes the use attainability analysis (UAA) process to identify and assign attainable uses and criteria to individual water bodies throughout the state taking into consideration the unique physical, chemical, biological, and economic factors affecting the attainment of the waterbody’s use (40 Code of Federal Regulations §131.10(g)). A specific kind of UAA, the recreational use attainability analysis (RUAA), is employed when determining the appropriate recreational use of a waterbody, and was implemented in this study. The objective of this project is to conduct a Comprehensive RUAA to assess the physical, chemical, biological, and economic factors affecting attainment of recreation use in the Attoyac Bayou (Segment 0612), Terrapin Creek (Segment 0612A), Waffelow Creek (Segment 0612B), Naconiche Creek, Big Iron Ore Creek and West Creek. Methods used shall be consistent with the TCEQ Recreational Use-Attainability Analyses – Procedures for a Comprehensive Recreational UAA and a Basic UAA Survey (TCEQ 2009)