Waste load identification and assessment project for the Galveston Bay system. Interim report.

Future work should supply additional data that is necessary to the use of the GBP models. All area-wide sewage plans should be subjected to modeling analysis to determine whether water quality requirements or recommendations can be met under adverse conditions. Galveston Bay computer runs have shown that dissolved oxygen and BOD levels in the bay will probably not be a problem in the near future or even by 1990. However, the upper channel continues to show violations of existing requirements and this condition should deteriorate by 1990. (More work needs to be done on BOD/DO models for the bay and more complete data is needed before refined analysis can be obtained, however). Nitrogenous loads appear to be significant oxygen sinks for the Galveston Bay system. BODu concentrations (due to carbonaceous loads) for 1990 conditions may reach 2-3 mg/l in Galveston Bay, with much higher levels in the Houston Ship Channel. (1990 loads = 1970 loads x 2.0 x (1.0-0.4), allowing for a 40% reduction in loads due to improved technology for industries.) Conclusions on Greens Bayou will be forthcoming as soon as cross-section dimensions on the bayou are obtained at various locations for low flow conditions.