Environmental Infrastructures

The goal of Phase I of this project was to develop a comprehensive plan that considered all aspects of existing issues for collaborators to implement and assist in planning for improved environmental infrastructures. The project set forth aided in identifying appropriate management practices and structures for rehabilitating and maintaining the health of the river and watershed through a watershed management approach. Implementation of an environmental infrastructure program employing a series of best management practices (BMPs) or conservation practices was deemed the desired approach for addressing overall watershed health. This first phase of the project focused on developing and employing a strategic approach to identifying priority areas in the watershed where field investigations should begin to investigate the need to reduce pollution and in choosing appropriate management practices for specific areas that are best suited to meet pollution reduction needs both efficiently and economically.

In-depth analysis using applicable Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data generated specifically for this project identified specific areas of need. Sub-watersheds were evaluated using an impact index that assigns a ranking to each sub-watershed based on three pollution quantifying indices: a concentration impact index, a load per unit area index and a load impact index. The sum of the three index rankings yields the overall prioritization for each sub-watershed.

The scientific advisory committee developed a list of potential BMPs that they considered feasible for implementation in the Bosque River watershed. The list consists of 22 feasible BMPs that have been assigned a priority index based on potential water quality effects, capital and maintenance costs, and applicability of the practice in the watershed. After establishing the prioritized list, BMPs were evaluated by the Spatial Sciences Lab (SSL) at Texas A&M University using GIS to identify areas within the watershed where implementing these practices would be most effective. Six spatial criteria and six location-specific criteria were used to determine optimum potential locations within the watershed for each BMP to be implemented.

The final report for Phase I, TR-312 outlines an effective methodology for determining which locations in the watershed should receive focus when field work begins, and which BMPs would be most effective in specific sub-watersheds. Six steps were identified as an effective process to choose the proper BMP for each sub-watershed in the basin. If these steps are followed, the best BMP(s) for each location should be effectively identified.

Funding for Phase I of this project was provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and was championed by Congressman Chet Edwards.

Phase II of the project picked up where Phase I left off. This phase incorporated the information developed in the first phase of the project into the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). SWAT was used to model the Bosque River watershed by calibrating and validating the flow and concentration outputs to match measured and simulated flow at key points within each sub-watershed. The calibrated and validated model was used to assess the impacts of implementing numerous BMPs and their ability to control pollution in the basin as compared to pre-BMP water quality. Suites of BMPs were analyzed using SWAT to determine their effectiveness when implemented in varying locations and scenarios throughout the watershed. Results that show the effective pollutant removal of the modeled BMPs are presented in the Phase II Modeling Report, TR-313.

Modeling results from this phase of the project will be used to aid in developing a comprehensive watershed plan that outlines needed environmental infrastructure improvements in the watershed. Areas that have the greatest problem with pollution will be primary targets with areas of a lower priority following suit. The plan will pair problem areas with appropriate BMPs deemed to be most effective and applicable to the situation while remaining economically feasible.

A report that describes each of the 22 BMPs recommended by the scientific advisory committee was also developed as a part of this project. The report gives a detailed description of the practice, where the practice should be installed, a rough estimate of installation and maintenance costs and the expected benefits of implementing the specific practice. This report is titled "Descriptions and Expectations of Recommended BMPs for Improving the Bosque River Watershed" and was published by TWRI as TR-309.

Funding for Phase II was provided by the Department of Energy and was championed by Congressman Chet Edwards.

This portion of the project will include on-the-ground assessments of individual properties to determine appropriate management practices to implement on that property that will reduce the pollutant loads entering the Bosque River. The Gilmore and Tonk Creek sub-watersheds will initially be targeted for these efforts and will be used as demonstration watersheds that will show the impacts of implementing management practices with resource conservation in mind. NRCS will provide information on conservation practices that will be recommended in each sub-watershed to the Texas Institute of Applied Environmental Research (TIAER) and the Spatial Sciences Laboratory (SSL). TIAER and SSL will model the implementation of these practices using the Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) model so that an accurate estimate of load reductions can be developed. That information, paired with installation and operation and maintenance costs will be used to develop a simplistic economic analysis of each practice. Collectively, this information will be used to plan initial implementation efforts that will be carried out in Phase IV of the project.

Additionally, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will work on developing a "Comprehensive Plan for Restoration, Protection and Preservation" in the Bosque River watershed. Components of this plan will include:

• Authorization and purpose of the project
• Discuss previous studies and recommendations
• Agencies involved, their roles, and interests
• Actual operations of the project and responsible party
• Apportionment and scheduled of implementation costs
• Memorandum of agreement and project governing
• Implementation activities, schedules and costs
• Communications plan

The purpose of this plan will be to clearly define the project, what its goals and objectives are and who will be in charge of what tasks.

Funding for Phase III of the project is being provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Phase IV will be focused primarily on implementing conservation practices throughout the North, Middle and South Bosque Rivers' watersheds. Initially, implementation efforts will be focused in the Gilmore and Tonk Creek sub-watersheds. These watersheds are currently being evaluated and information gained in Phase III will be applied in the implementation effort. These sub-watersheds will serve as demonstration watersheds where the impacts of implementing conservation practices can be effectively measured through continued monitoring and assessment. Practices implemented in these watersheds will be suggested by NRCS through their Conservation Planning process. Cost share funding will be available to assist landowners in implementing recommended practices. These demonstrations will prove critical for assessing the impacts of implementing conservation practices and will show the potential pollutant removal that can be realized if implementation efforts are applied across the entire Bosque River watershed.

A critical aspect of this phase of the project will be establishing and maintaining landowner contacts while informing them about the need and benefits of implementing conservation practices in the watershed. The benefits to the landowner and the environment will also be clearly explained. Landowner participation in the implementation process will be critical because the conservation practices will be voluntarily implemented on privately owned land.