Poenisch Park Project Timeline
- Summer 2017: Initiation of project
- Sept 2017 start of QAPP/ TSD Work
- 2017-2019 changes in measurements/modeling leading to 3 models
- Draft TSD submitted 10/5/2020 – reviews & discussions
- 2020-2022 – COVID – team change at TCEQ
- Sept 2022 – Present: project restart, consensus on modeling, resubmitted QAPP, presently working on new QAPP focused on just the model
- Next: Finalize TSD and TMDL with TCEQ modeling team
- TCEQ personnel involved in project: Lauren Young – Chris Loft – Gerrad Hofmans –Roger Miranda – Tim Cawthon – Wyatt Eason – Manashi Paul – Sam Bickley
In 2014, the Texas Beach Watch program indicated bacteria concentrations were higher than the criteria for protecting the contact recreation use at Poenisch Park beach, assessment unit 2481CB_06 of the Texas Bays and Estuaries Basin.
For more information on the Poenisch Park Project, be sure to check out Philippe Tissot’s presentation to the Coastal Bend Regional Implementation Plan Coordination Committee Meeting – Joint CARP, OSO, Poenisch.
For more detailed data, go to the joint USGS and EPA Water Quality Portal for Poenisch Park.
Project Development and Public Participation
In November 2015, TCEQ contracted with Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC) to collect background and historical data. In September 2017, the Conrad Blucher Institute began technical report development. Water quality monitoring was conducted in 2018 and 2019. A draft technical support document is under development by TAMU-CC and will be finalized later this year.
In all its projects, TCEQ seeks to gather opinion and information from people who represent government, permitted facilities, agriculture, business, environmental, and community and private interests. Throughout the project, the City of Corpus Christi, the Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program (CBBEP), and other stakeholders and communities that use and affect these public beaches are engaged in developing a strategy to improve water quality.