A CURSORY EXAMINATION OF WATER QUALITY IN THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER BASIN

Water quality data are important for compliance with permits and water-supply standards, development of remediation plans for a specific contamination problem, operational decisions on industrial, wastewater, or water-supply facilities, and the protection of human health. Water quality in rivers is generally linked with land use in the catchments that affect the amount and quality of runoff during and following precipitation events. The Texas Clean Rivers Act (TCRA) requires ongoing statewide water resources planning and management of the state’s water supply. As a result, the widespread occurrence of industrialization and urbanization requires the understanding of the effects of runoff in contributing to the contaminant level in local bodies of water such as the San Antonio River. The use of the land immediately surrounding the San Antonio River is of particular importance because it acts as the main conduit (non-point sources pollution) for transport of materials and contaminants into the river system. The reported study investigated the impact of runoff from land-use in the immediate vicinity of the San Antonio River on its water quality. Sample sites were chosen primarily on the basis of representive land use in the area. Headwater of the river at the Incarnate Word University was selected as the control site; four other sites were selected to decipher the impact of aviation activities, industrial runoff, golf course runoff and residential land use on the water quality of the San Antonio River. Experimental parameters used to describe water quality were alkalinity, conductivity, temperature, hardness, nitrates, phosphate, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity, total solids (TS) and flow rate. Samples were collected at two times: a dry period and a wet period representing two markedly different rainfall conditions. Results from the two sampling events were compared. This study, although rather cursory in its approach (with only two sampling events) helped us evaluate the overall water quality condition of the San Antonio River as a function of land use.