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What Is The Clean Rivers
Program?
The Texas Clean Rivers Program (CRP) was
implemented to maintain and improve the quality of surface water resources
within each river basin in Texas. The CRP is a partnership involving the TCEQ,
other state agencies, river authorities, local governments, industry, and
citizens. Using a watershed
management approach,
CRP partner agencies work with the TCEQ to
identify and evaluate surface water quality issues and to establish priorities
for corrective action. The CRP provides a vehicle for local, regional, and
statewide interests to examine water quality issues on a watershed basis.
Planning and management by watershed allows the examination of complex
relationships between water resources and human activity. The water quality
assessments performed under the CRP focus on the cumulative effects of a variety
of potential pollutant sources within the context of the natural setting of a
particular watershed.
How Does the Clean River Program Work?
In 1991 the Texas Legislature passed the Texas Clean Rivers Act in response to
growing concerns that water resource issues were not being addressed in a
holistic manner. This legislation
requires that water quality assessments be conducted for each river basin in
Texas using an approach that integrates water quality issues within a river
basin or watershed. To fund the
program, the TCEQ assesses a fee from permit holders for water use and
wastewater discharges. The
legislation directs the TCEQ to summarize basin-wide assessment report in
even-numbered years. The Act also
requires the TCEQ to develop rules and to implement a program to issue
wastewater discharge permits on a watershed basis. All permits within a given
watershed are issued in the same year.
The TCEQ implements the Program by contracting with
15 regional agencies, including river authorities, and councils of government,
to conduct regional water quality assessments in the 23 river and coastal basins
of Texas. In each basin, the
designated partner agency (SRBA) has primary responsibility for surface water
quality assessment its basin. For more information visit the
Clean Rivers Program web page for links to
water quality assessments, guidance, and partner information.
In order to accomplish it's goals the TCEQ has
compiled a set of Deliverables (reports, data, etc.) of which all partner
agencies are responsible. These Deliverables are divided into Tasks in order to
be received in an organized manner.