Title
Resolution - A Resolution of the City of Mansfield, Texas Approving an Interlocal Agreement with the Trinity River Authority for the Joe Pool Lake Watershed Protection Plan; and Authorizing Funding for an Amount Not to Exceed $60,000 (Drainage Utility Funds)
Requested Action
The approval of a resolution to enter an Interlocal Agreement with TRA for the Joe Pool Lake Watershed Protection Plan, and authorization of funding.
Recommendation
The Environmental Staff recommends the approval of the resolution to enter the Interlocal Agreement.
Description/History
The section of Walnut Creek that flows through the City has been on the TCEQ Integrated Report of Surface Water Quality as impaired since 2006. The data for this report were collected during 2004, and shows that this section of Walnut Creek regularly has bacteria levels that the State has determined exceed a threshold for safe primary contact recreation. Primary contact recreation is considered to be full recreational use, including activities such as swimming, diving, etc…
Because the impairment exists, and because of the length of time of the impairment, the TCEQ and EPA want to see the local communities make efforts to improve the water quality. The Watershed Protection Plan is generally less than rigid than other avenues for achieving regularity compliance requirements and all participating agencies endorse this approach.
The purpose of a WPP is to develop a detailed report for the condition of the existing issues related to water quality throughout the watershed, and then create a plan for interested stakeholders to implement management practices to improve water quality. Stakeholders include other local agencies, large land owners, ranchers, environmental groups, and others who are interested in assisting to develop the plan. It is a different pathway than a Total Maximum Daily Load, and has specific advantages to that process that make it more appealing to staff.
Rather than the impairmen...
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