The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings. Unless specifically defined for this chapter, definitions for other words and terms may be found in Chapter 3 of this title (relating to Definitions). (1) Assessment report--A comprehensive record of historical, existing, and projected water quality conditions of a watershed. (2) Designated local government--A local government that has been designated through cooperative agreement or contract with the commission to perform a regional assessment pursuant to this chapter. (3) Nonpoint source pollution--Generally results from land runoff, precipitation, atmospheric deposition, drainage, seepage, or hydrologic modification. Any source of pollution that is not subject to regulation as a "point source." (4) Pollution--The alteration of the physical, thermal, chemical, or biological quality of, or the contamination of, any water in the state that renders the water harmful, detrimental, or injurious to humans, animal life, vegetation, or property or to public health, safety, or welfare, or impairs the usefulness or the public enjoyment of the water for any lawful or reasonable purpose. (5) Quality assurance project plan (QAPP)--The formal document which describes in comprehensive detail the necessary quality assurance/quality control activities that must be implemented to ensure that results of work performed will satisfy stated performance criteria. (6) River authority--Any district or authority created by the legislature under Texas Water Code (TWC), §30.003, which contains an area within its boundaries of ten or more counties and any other river authority or special district created under Article III, §52 and Article XVI, §59 of the Texas Constitution, which are designated by rule of the commission to comply with this chapter. (7) River basins and coastal basins--The river basins and coastal basins now defined and designated by the Texas Water Development Board as separate units for the purposes of water development and inter-watershed transfers, and as they are made certain by contour maps on file in the offices of the Texas Water Development Board, including, but not limited to, the rivers and their tributaries, streams, water, coastal water, sounds, estuaries, bays, lakes and portions of them, as well as the lands drained by them. (8) Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)--Water quality-based process used to establish pollution control limits for waters not meeting water quality standards. The process is established under the federal Clean Water Act to establish control limits where technology-based controls are not adequate and should include determination of loading capacity, allocations of wasteload and loading from other pollutant sources, and an appropriate margin of safety. (9) Unclassified waters--Those waters for which no classification has been assigned and which have not been identified in Appendix A of §307.10 of this title (relating to Appendices A-E). (10) Wastewater permit--A permit issued by the commission under authority of TWC, Chapter 26, including those permits issued under the authority of TWC, Chapter 26 and other statutory provisions (such as the Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 361). For the purpose of this section, a permit shall include any authorization under TWC, Chapter 26 to treat or discharge wastewater, including a registration or permit by rule. (11) Water right--A right acquired under the laws of the state and the rules of the commission to impound, divert, or use state water. (12) Work plan--A document outlining the proposed scope of work, including a time schedule and cost expenditures, from a river authority or designated local government to perform a service and/or provide a comprehensive regional assessment of the watershed. |
