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Fast Facts
Environmental Creek Assessments |
Photo Gallery |
| Fast Facts |
| Population |
2000: 44,727
2030: 101,823 |
| Creek Length |
16 miles
|
| Drainage Area |
21 square
miles |
| Drains To |
Brushy Creek
near US Hwy 79 |
| Well Known Sites |
Westwood
HS, Cat Hollow Park, Ganzert Lake |
| Land Use |
Residential
Business
Civic
Parks
Roadways
Undeveloped |
24%
7%
3%
2%
12%
52% |
Watershed Facts
- In response to citizen complaints, investigators
find an average of seven pollution spills each year in Lake
Creek watershed; the most common spill type is sewage, followed
by petroleum.
- 94% of the Lake Creek watershed passes through
the environmentally sensitive Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone
where water travels through caves and sinkholes to “recharge”
the aquifer.
- Groundwater quality is generally poor (check
with map rating) in this watershed because of urban development.
- This creek receives a large portion of its
flow as wastewater discharge near the headwaters. It has bad
water quality in the heavily developed western portion of the
watershed that gets increasingly better as it flows east to
Brushy Creek
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|
Creek Assessments
Environmental
| Index |
Score |
Category |
Notes |
| Overall
Score |
68 |
Good |
Lake Creek ranks 15 out
of 46 watersheds in overall quality |
Water
Chemistry |
46 |
Marginal |
Water quality is average,
ammonia is high, nitrate is high, orthophosphorus is high,
suspended solids are high |
Sediment
Quality |
84
|
Very Good |
PAHs are very low, herbicides/pesticides
are very low, metals are very low |
| Recreation |
87 |
Very
Good |
During dry weather conditions,
bacteria is not a threat |
| Aesthetics |
78 |
Very
Good |
Some litter present,
no odor, algae covers 20-30% of creek |
| Habitat |
56
|
Fair
|
Some sediment deposition |
| Aquatic
Life |
58 |
Fair |
Benthic macroinvertebrate
community is good, diatom community is fair |
- Absence of pollution-intolerant diatom species
suggests water quality or silt and sedimentation may be impacting
diatom community.
- Channelization projects removed significant
portion of riparian habitat in upper watershed.
- Development near SH45 may result in water
quality impacts and threats to sensitive environmental features
like caves and sinkholes.
- Wastewater treatment plant discharges
artificially enhance baseflow and contribute to degraded water
quality conditions.
Learn
More
How to Help
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| Photo Gallery |
| |
|
| Lake Creek at Robinson
Ranch |
Lake Creek at Sugar Berry
Cove |
|
|
Lake Creek at Meadowheath Drive |
|
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