Scope of
Work
Funding Source
Funding provided by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation
Board as part of a Clean Water Act Section 319(h) Grant.
Background
The Arroyo Colorado is an ancient channel of the Rio Grande that
extends eastward for about 90 miles from near the City of Mission
through southern Hidalgo County to the City of Harlingen in Cameron
County, eventually discharging into the Laguna Madre near the
Cameron-Willacy county line. The watershed of the Arroyo Colorado
drains approximately 700 square miles and generally consists of
coastal plain that slopes gently toward the Gulf of Mexico.
The Arroyo Colorado Watershed is the major drainage-way for
approximately two dozen cities in the area, with the exception of
Brownsville. Additionally, almost 500,000 acres in the three
counties are irrigated for cotton, citrus, vegetables, grain
sorghum, corn and sugar cane production. Thus, much of the
watershed is sustained by runoff and return flows from these areas,
including urban wastewater discharges, irrigation and other
agricultural return flows, stormwater runoff and base flows from
groundwater.
Use of the water in the Arroyo Colorado for municipal,
industrial or irrigation purposes is severely limited because of
poor quality conditions. Salinity concentrations in the Arroyo
typically exceed the limits considered desirable for human
consumption, as well as, those acceptable for irrigation of crops.
Furthermore, water quality and fish tissue testing have found that:
(1) low dissolved oxygen levels have impaired the fish community
and other aquatic life downstream from the Port of Harlingen; (2)
elevated levels of pesticides (chlordane, toxaphene and DDE) have
resulted in a fish consumption advisory upstream from the Port of
Harlingen; and, (3) bacteria levels are occasionally elevated
indicating a potential health risk to people who swim or wade in
the Arroyo upstream from the Port of Harlingen.
Goals and Objectives
The Agricultural Issues Workgroup was created by the Arroyo
Colorado Watershed Steering Committee to develop the agriculture
portion of the Watershed Action Plan to restore water quality in
the Arroyo Colorado Watershed. Stakeholder involvement within this
group as well as other planning groups have identified needs
specific to water quality protection and improvement for the
agricultural community. Therefore, Texas Water Resources Institute
(TWRI) proposes to work through Texas AgriLife Extension Service to
implement an educational program within the three-county area to
address these issues related to agriculture production identified
by the stakeholder groups.
Specifically, the educational program will serve two purposes.
First, AgriLife Extension will utilize its already developed
resources and delivery system to educate producers on proper
management and production techniques. Programs will address cotton,
grain sorghum, sugar cane, citrus and vegetable production and
proper nutrient management practices including a soil testing
campaign. Second, AgriLife Extension will promote programs
associated with Arroyo Colorado water quality protection. For
example, cost-share programs to support implementation of best
management practices and technologies previously developed in the
area did not reach full potential due to a lack of awareness among
producers. AgriLife Extension will be able to both promote these
programs and provide education on the proper use of these
technologies following installation.
Task 1: Project Coordination
Objective: TWRI will organize an integrated
team among the multiple agencies and groups involved with the
project to develop a comprehensive work plan to efficiently achieve
project goals and to summarize activities and achievements made
throughout the course of the project by developing and submitting
quarterly progress reports, a final report, holding regular
meetings and maintaining communication among all personnel
involved.
Task 2: Conducting Local Educational Meetings
Objective: TWRI and TCE (in coordination with
SWCDs and NRCS) will host educational meetings in accordance with
priority issues identified in Task 1 and outlined in the work plan.
The meetings will serve to educate individuals on specific crop
production techniques, nutrient management techniques, related
programs addressing water quality, the development of water quality
management plans, and the implementation of the Watershed
Protection Plan. A soil testing campaign will be conducted and
data/information will be compiled into educational fact sheets or
presented.