UNRAVELING PRE-DROUGHT WATER QUALITY USING THE SPEARFORD GULLY, HOUSTON, TEXAS

As drought becomes increasingly severe in the wake of global climate change, understanding how water quality responds is crucial. Previous studies have established a detrimental relationship between drought conditions and the overall abundance and quality of water in the region. This research builds upon this knowledge by investigating water quality in Spearford Gully, a Cypress Creek and Lake Houston tributary, preceding a significant drought in the summer of 2023. The National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) defined the beginning of the pre-drought period as the latest recorded instance of rainfall and the last day of the pre-drought as the day the drought was recognized. Chlorophyll α, water depth, specific conductivity, turbidity, pH, and temperature data were collected in the Spearford Gully on the Lone Star College-University Park campus in Harris County using an EXO2 water sonde. During the pre-drought period, water quality diminished in the Spearford Gully, which is part of the Cypress Creek drainage basin. Chlorophyll α and turbidity were particularly sensitive to drought conditions, with chlorophyll α experiencing changes within a few days and turbidity showing significant changes after approximately two weeks. These results indicate that surface water during a pre-drought timeframe in this drainage basin in Harris County, intended for consumption requires significant treatment to be in accordance with the EPA's water quality guidelines. Additionally, implementation of drought-related water usage restrictions should be put in place sooner as treatment of pre-drought water comes at a greater expense to the county, especially as surface water experiences a growing demand.