Environmental assessment of the Trinity River discharge on productivity in Trinity Bay: final report.

The major objective of this report is to investigate environmental questions before additional steps can be taken to implement the completion of the Trinity River canalization project. Major consideration is given to: (1) the possible effect that the waters of the Trinity River drainage might have upon the overall biological productivity of its estuary and the greater Galveston Bay system; (2) how much runoff water from the basin must be guaranteed to the Galveston Bay system in order to provide optimum conditions for a smoothly running ecosystem; (3) the possible effect of reduced runoff and subsequently reduced sediment load in maintaining the various habitats and ecological niches in Trinity Bay. Recommendations of the report were: (1) to maintain a vigil against the increase of phosphate in Trinity Bay to guard against inhibition of plant production; (2) to insure that a sufficient river discharge is maintained so that a salinity gradient will exist from river mouth to bay mouth; (3) to permit at least 1,300,000 acre feet of water to be discharged into Trinity Bay to flush the bay twice a year; (4) to establish a minimum one-year environmental monitoring program to acquire the necessary data for continued management of the river discharge needed to maintain productivity in Trinity Bay; (5) to evaluate all hurricane protection levee systems and tidal exchange structures surrounding the Galveston Bay area before any proposed alterations of the Trinity River flow are made; (6) to survey all county and municipal waste disposal criteria to determine whether there is a need for a stricter pollution code or stricter enforcement of the present code. (Author)