Fresh Water Inflow & Bay Circulation Priority Problems

Continued high biological productivity of Galveston Bay depends to a great degree on the maintenance of adequate, high-quality freshwater inflows. Freshwater inflows affect circulation, salinity regime, and water quality within the estuary. Many species of fish, wildlife, aquatic plants, and shellfish depend on adequate fresh water inflows for survival or reproduction.

A comparison of monthly mean flows prior to (1941-1969) and after (1972-1987) Lake Livingston Dam construction on the Trinity River indicates that peak flows have been cropped and low flows have been increased, and that the timing of peak flows have been delayed slightly. Increasing return flows to the Trinity River and other watersheds have elevated base flow during critical low flow periods. These return flows, in conjunction with inter-basin transfers of water, can significantly alter seasonal flow variations in the future.

See more information on priority problems related to Galveston Bay freshwater inflow and bay circulation in Chapter Five of The State of the Bay. See Solutions.