Intensive survey of the Houston Ship Channel system: segment 1001-San Jacinto River tidal, segment 1005-Houston Ship Channel/San Jacinto River, segment 1006-Houston Ship Channel, segment 1007-Houston Ship Channel/Buffalo Bayou, segment 1013-Buffalo Bayou tidal, segment 1014-Buffalo Bayou above tidal, segment 2421-Upper Galveston Bay, segment 2426-Tabbs Bay, segment 2427-San Jacinto Bay, segment 2428-Black Duck Bay, segment 2429-Scott Bay, segment 2430-Burnett Bay, segment 2436-Barbours Cut, July 9-11, 1984: hydrology, field measurements, water chemistry, sediment chemistry

An intensive survey of the Houston Ship Channel (HSC) system, consisting of the San Jacinto River tidal (Segment 1001), the lower HSC and San Jacinto River (Segment 1004), the middle HSC (Segment 1006), lower Buffalo Bayou tidal/upper HSC (Segment 1007), upper Buffalo Bayou tidal (Segment 1013), Buffalo Bayou above tidal (Segment 2426), San Jacinto Bay (Segment 2427), Black Duck Bay (Segment 2428), Scott Bay (Segment 2429), Burnett Bay (Segment 2430) and Barbours Cut (Segment 2436), was conducted July 9-11, 1984, by the Texas Department of Water Resources (predecessor agency of the Texas Water Commission). Twenty mainstream stations on the HSC from the Turning Basin to Morgan's Point, five stations on Buffalo Bayou, eight station on the San Jacinto River, 17 tributary stations, six side bay stations, five stations in upper Galveston Bay and 52 wastewater discharges were sampled over a 24-hour period from July 10-11. Sediment samples were collected from 18 sites on Buffalo Bayou, HSC, San Jacinto River, Burnett Bay and Galveston Bay. Field data were collected at all stream stations and half of the wastewater discharges. Flow measurements were made at all tributaries and wastewater discharges, and tide stage recordings were made at two locations in the estuary. Data collected during this study revealed poor water quality in Segment 1007, Segment 1006 and most tributaries, as indicated by low dissolved oxygen levels, and elevated nutrients and organic constituents. The lower HSC, San Jacinto River tidal, upper Galveston Bay, Tabbs Bay, San Jacinto Bay, Black Duck Bay, Scott Bay, Burnett Bay and Barburs Cut were generally compliant with their respective segment criteria. The data indicated an overall improvement in water quality, as compared with data collected in 1982 (IS 86-10). The data will be used for future modeling and engineering evaluations of the HSC system, for determining water quality trends and to assess the effectiveness of elaborated control programs initiated over the last several years.