Improving Austin Streams Making Progress with Bacteria

The Problems with Bacteria 1. Widespread – throughout the watersheds 2. Transient – changing and unpredictable by nature

What We Need Multiple strategies Watershed-wide approach Sustained effort over many years Iterative process – evaluated annually and revised as needed

Progress Toward the Goal The Standard: Contact Recreation “Safe” contact recreation in the streams is the ultimate goal Progress is made by taking vital, intermediate steps toward the ultimate goal

The I-Plan Describes a variety of strategies What can be done to improve current practices? Looking for a continuous effort in the community on the way to meeting the standard

Best Management Practices These implementation activities are what the work groups will come up with – the committee members do not need to become experts on these measures The committee will decide what goes into the plan based on work groups’ recommendations

Two Types of BMPs Management Measures – Voluntary Control Actions -- Regulatory

Examples From the BIG I-Plan in Houston-Galveston: Increase monitoring requirements for wastewater treatment facilities Repair failing septic systems Expand residential public education efforts Examine effectiveness of stormwater activities

More examples: From Gilleland: Septic system inspections and repairs Restore and preserve riparian zones Partners coordinate for increased public awareness campaigns Conduct visual inspections of wastewater collection systems

The Elegance of I-Plans Because I-Plans are not one-size-fits-all And because there is never enough money or time to do everything we would want to do We keep our eyes on the ultimate goal and do what we can right now with the resources we have. Periodically, we see how we’re doing and change our strategies when necessary.

Coordination Committee Work Group

Possible Timeline & Milestones Jan-Mar Coordination Committee meets to plan process, appoint workgroups Workgroups begin developing activity recommendations Mar-June Work groups continue to develop recommendations Coordination committee meets to continue guiding process, consider work group recommendations May-Aug ? Report drafting, editing, building support among needed groups for letters of support Coordination committee completes report and forward to TCEQ (flexible deadline of August 31, 2013