Texas Water Monitoring Council

Texas Water Monitoring Council Meeting
February 4, 1999

Minutes

View the Minutes from other TWMC meetings:

• August 12, 1999
• June 3, 1999
• April 1,1999

The first bi-monthly meeting of the Texas Water Monitoring Council was held at the US Geological Survey in Austin on February 4th, 1999 to discuss the 2nd Texas Water Monitoring Congress.

Attendees:

The 1998 Congress Proceedings are complete and available on the Council web site. Bids are being taken to print the document, which will cost about $3000. After printing the Proceedings and the Fact Sheet there should be about $2000 left in the TWMC bank account. The 1998 Congress Proceedings was presented on January 20th at a joint meeting of the TWDB Board of Directors, TNRCC Commission and TPWD Commission. As soon as copies are available they will be distributed to other key decision makers and conference attendees.

The remainder of the meeting was spent discussing recommendations made by the focus groups at the 1998 Congress, beginning with Public Outreach. Although the subcommittee has not formally met since the Congress, there have been several notable developments. Since the TWMC web site is up and running, it could serve as the centralized web site recommended at the Congress and could be used to post a dynamic inventory of contacts and information related to water resources in Texas. The Texas Water Foundation is now up and running and could serve as the umbrella organization recommended to coordinate water related educational activities. Texas Water Foundation will be contacted so that they are aware of the Council and to see how the two organizations can work together. TAEX is also charged with education activities under SB1 and is developing news releases to county extension agents. TNRCC reported on ongoing efforts intended to restore adequate resources and support for volunteer involvement opportunities like citizen water quality monitoring. A survey of specific groups (i.e. citizens, teachers, policymakers, special interest groups, professionals, and others) to identify water information and data needs has not been initiated yet by the Public Outreach group yet, but similar efforts are being contemplated elsewhere. The USGS, through its visual identity initiative, has asked the Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility for support with the goals of the Public Outreach subcommittee.

The Data Management subcommittee chair has compiled a list of approximately 40 participants. Some have responded to an email request to see who would like to get more involved. The Sabine River Authority's online webboard conferencing system is up and running at http://www.sra.dst.tx.us/webboard.htm. This site is intended to facilitate communications regarding Sabine River Basin issues. It was suggested that the TWMC web site include a link to this site.

The Data Networks subcommittee chair was not at the meeting but TWDB's network optimization program was discussed. This is a statewide web-based network for collection and dissemination of water data. TWDB has three cooperators on board so far. The goal is to have 10 nodes on line this fiscal year, 10 in FY 2000 and 10 in FY 2001. TWMC guidance will be important for directing this effort.

TNRCC has been working on a draft Regional Quality Management Plan. Their plan is to assess how well USGS/TNRCC and EPA frameworks mesh with an ultimate goal of compatible standards for quality assurance. The Clean Rivers Program has a QAPP shell that could be used as a strawman. It was suggested that the TWMC web site include a "methods" button for standard field and lab procedures. TNRCC is preparing to put a monitoring manual out. USGS is also working on a National Field Manual and web site. The National Environmental Accreditation Program was discussed, citing that it needs legislative authorization, a sponsor agency and funding. There was discussion of whether the TWMC web site should include 4 "buttons", one for each subcommittee, or whether information should be organized geographically.

The next Texas Water Monitoring Council meeting is tentatively scheduled for April 1.

Texas Water Monitoring Council

http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/twmc/min990204.htm
page updated 9/20/1999
by Russell Pankratz
rpankrat@twdb.state.tx.us