This agreement provides support to the state of texas to implement its nonpoint source management program, focusing on watersheds with water quality impairments caused by polluted runoff from nonpoint…

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) received a $4.62 million formula grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6 under the Nonpoint Source Implementation Grants program (CFDA 66.460) effective September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2030. This grant supports implementation of Texas's EPA-approved Section 319 nonpoint source management program across eight integrated projects focused on addressing water quality impairments caused by polluted runoff in priority watersheds. Deliverables include water quality monitoring, pollutant load estimation and documentation of reductions, watershed characterization and protection plan development, implementation of structural and non-structural best management practices (BMPs), stakeholder engagement, and comprehensive education and outreach programs targeting nonpoint source pollution prevention.

TCEQ distributed funding through multiple sub-awards to implement specific watershed initiatives, including Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service subawards for on-site sewage facility (OSSF) remediation and education in the Lampasas River and Neches River Tidal watersheds; water quality monitoring and stakeholder engagement in the Brushy Creek watershed; and watershed characterization in the White Rock Creek watershed. Additional sub-awards supported the Texas Stream Team Program for statewide community engagement and water quality training, Joe Pool Lake watershed BMP implementation by Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Lake Conroe watershed protection plan development by Houston Galveston Area Council, and statewide volunteer water quality monitoring support through Texas State University. Collectively, these projects implement EPA-approved management measures to reduce nonpoint source pollution, restore impaired waterbodies, and achieve water quality standards through collaborative watershed-based approaches.

This agreement provides support to the state of texas to implement its nonpoint source management program, focusing on watersheds with water quality impairments caused by polluted runoff from nonpoint sources. Nonpoint source implementation projects include a variety of structural and non-structural best management practices (BMPS), watershed planning, monitoring, technology demonstrations and a variety of education/outreach programs. Activities:the proposed work in this agreement includes 8 projects that will include water quality monitoring, estimate pollutant loading and reductions, characterize watersheds, enhance community engagement, provide essential water quality training and education, support development and implementation of watershed protection plans, implement multiple best management practices to protect and restore impaired waterbodies. Subrecipient:1.01 texas stream team program- texas stream team will work statewide to expand its network to areas with an accepted WPP, while continuing to offer services to impaired and priority watersheds. The project aims to enhance community engagement, provide essential water quality training and resources, and support the implementation of watershed protection plans to improve water quality across texas. 1.02 lampasas river watershed protection plan implementation - on-site sewage facilities remediation; phase III- agrilife extension will work within the lampasas river watershed to continue the onsite sewage facility (OSSF) program efforts identified in the lampasas river watershed protection plan. This phase III project will continue efforts from tceq project 23-40228 to inspect, repair and/or replace failing or non-existent OSSFS in the lampasas river watershed. Agrilife extension will also deliver education programs regarding proper maintenance of OSSFS within the watershed and perform annual updates to the lampasas river watershed OSSF geodatabase. 1.03 JOE pool lake WPP implementation - urban BMPS- this project will construct bioswales as green infrastructure BMPS mentioned in the JOE pool lake watershed protection plan to reduce the bacterial load entering the lake. Walnut creek is no longer impaired but elevated bacteria is still a concern. Nutrient input from mountain creek is also a concern to stakeholders. 1.04 arroyo colorado WPP implementation; watershed delineation, OSSF inventory update and BMP installation- this project will implement management recommendations in the arroyo colorado watershed protection plan (WPP): nonpoint source education, implement pet waste stations in high traffic urban areas, reevaluate the watershed boundary based on updated digital elevation data and local information, and continue adding data to the OSSF geodatabase. 1.05 coastal zone on-site sewage facilities (OSSFS) database updates and neches river tidal watershed OSSF remediation- agrilife extension will update and maintain an inventory of OSSFS and perform OSSF inspections in the texas coastal zone. Agrilife extension will work within the portions of the neches river tidal watershed within the coastal zone boundaries to respond to inspect, repair, and replace failing or non-existent on-site sewage facilities (OSSFS). Agrilife extension will also deliver education programs to educate OSSF owners in the neches river tidal watershed on properly inspecting and maintaining their system. 1.06 lake conroe watershed protection plan development- this project will develop a nine-element watershed protection plan (WPP) for the lake conroe watershed area in montgomery, walker, and grimes county, texas by building on a WPP plan drafted in 2015 by the SAN jacinto river authority that did not meet EPA requirements for acceptance. H-GAC will develop technical analyses and models using quality assured acquired data and facilitate participation among local stakeholders to complete a full WPP in compliance with the EPA's nine key element. 1.07 brushy CRE