Center for Coastal Studies

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Center for Coastal Studies The Center for Coastal Studies conducts ecological research on coastal issues.

The Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) is an interdisciplinary marine research institute. CCS conducts basic and applied research, ecological monitoring, public education outreach, and graduate-level education and research programs.

Nueces River Tidal Update for October 2026. Monthly sampling for the nutrient and bacteria study occurred on October 6th...
10/12/2026

Nueces River Tidal Update for October 2026. Monthly sampling for the nutrient and bacteria study occurred on October 6th. Weather conditions were in the upper 70s/low 80s, partly cloudy, with light winds.

When we arrived at Station NRT-01, water was flowing over the saltwater barrier dam at a rate of 55 cfs according to the USGS stream gauge in Calallen. There was a rain event in the area that resulted in runoff below Lake Corpus Christi a few days before. Flow spiked to 500 cfs on October 3rd sending approximately 1,000 acre-feet into the tidal segment. Water appearance was brown, frothy, and turbid with an abundance of trash on the banks in the Labonte Park area, typical of rainfall runoff.

Water quality information is summarized below:

NRT-01:
The flowing water resulted in a complete mixing of the water column at the station near the saltwater dam in Calallen. No stratification was recorded. This station typically has a lack of dissolved oxygen below 1.0 meter and salt stratification due to salty groundwater seeps.

Depth - 2.9 meters (9.5 feet)
Salinity - 0.3ppt
Dissolved oxygen - 4.7 mg/L and 59% throughout the water column
bacteria - (moderately elevated)
Chlorophyll-a - (very low)

NRT-02
The flow wasn't strong enough to flush out NRT-02. This station is the deepest station on the river and typically has high stratification for dissolved oxygen, pH, and salinity.

Depth - 6.0 meters (20 feet)
Salinity - 0.8 to 40ppt (very stratified)
Dissolved oxygen - 4.5 mg/L and 56% at the surface to 0.1 mg/L and 1% from 2 m and below (very stratified)
bacteria - (moderately elevated)
Chlorophyll-a - (very low)

NRT-03
Depth - 1.3 meters (4.3 feet)
Salinity - 1.0 ppt
Dissolved oxygen - 4.5 mg/L and 56% throughout the water column
bacteria - (moderately elevated)
Chlorophyll-a - (very low)

NRT-04
Depth - 1.5 meters (5 feet)
Salinity - 2.0 ppt
Dissolved oxygen - 2.8 mg/L and 35% (low)
bacteria - (elevated)
Chlorophyll-a - (very low)

NRT-05
Depth - 1.6 meters (5 feet)
Salinity - 2.3 ppt (surface) - 13.7 ppt (at 1.3 m)
Dissolved oxygen - 3.5 mg/L and 43% (surface) to 0.6 mg/L and 8.4% (1.3 m)
bacteria - (moderately elevated)
Chlorophyll-a - (very low)

Nueces River Tidal Segment - Center for Coastal Studies Staff conducted the monthly monitoring for nutrient parameters a...
09/21/2026

Nueces River Tidal Segment - Center for Coastal Studies Staff conducted the monthly monitoring for nutrient parameters and bacteria on September 8th. Weather conditions were typical for this time of year (hot, humid, and light winds in the morning).

It's been 3 months since the tidal portion received fresh water from the rain event below Lake Corpus Christi. Before the rain event, surface salinities at all stations were between 30 and 40 ppt (very close to open ocean - 35ppt). The flow event in May and June brought the salinity down to around 1 ppt at all stations. A notable reduction in chlorophyll-a concentrations were detected in June monitoring data (all stations were below the screening level). Dissolved oxygen concentrations (and reduced stratification) also showed marked improvement following the flow event. Evidence of fishing (and catching) were observed in the segment as well.

June 23rd salinities
between 0.4 and 1.1 ppt

July 21st salinities
between 6 and 7 ppt

August 19th salinities
between 9 -16 ppt

September 9th salinities
between 16 -21 ppt

Data from July - September show evidence of a much more stagnant waterbody resulting in increased stratification of salinity, dissolved oxygen, and pH. Deeper stations (NRT-01 and 02) had almost no available dissolved oxygen below 1.0 meter (3.2 feet).

Dissolved oxygen is a parameter that has a huge effect on aquatic life, determining which species will be in the segment. Chronically low dissolved oxygen levels affect the food web by reducing food sources that live on the bottom in the sediment.

08/26/2026

Our work in The Gambia on mangrove ecosystems has been highlighted in TAMUCC’s newsletter today. Check it out!

Fabulous team! So proud!
08/21/2026

Fabulous team! So proud!

August 20th Project Update - Center for Coastal Studies staff were out on the Nueces River Tidal Segment yesterday getti...
08/20/2026

August 20th Project Update - Center for Coastal Studies staff were out on the Nueces River Tidal Segment yesterday getting August data for the monthly nutrient and bacteria study funded by the Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program. The title of the project is "Characterizing Water Quality in the Nueces River Tidal Segment."

Here's a link to the most recent project results (April 2025 - May 2026)https://www.cbbep.org/manager/wp-content/uploads/2536-Final-Report_Final.pdf

Weather conditions were partly cloudy with a light to moderate breeze. Salinities were brackish ranging from 10 to 17. Dissolved oxygen (DO) values were very low in the segment this month, likely due to a combination of stagnant water, light winds, and partly cloudy conditions. We did see a lot of birds on the bank including some storks.

NRT-01
Salinity at 0.3m - 16.6
DO - 0.5 mg/L and 7.4%

NRT-02
Salinity at 0.3m - 16.4
DO - 2.7 mg/L and 40.2%

NRT-03
Salinity at 0.3m - 14.1
DO - 1.4 mg/L and 19.3%

NRT-04
Salinity at 0.3m - 10.0
DO - 5.1 mg/L and 71.5%

NRT-05
Salinity at 0.3m - 11.5
DO - 5.7 mg/L and 80.4%

08/20/2026

August 20th Project Update - Center for Coastal Studies staff were out on the Nueces River Tidal Segment yesterday getting August data for the monthly nutrient and bacteria study.

Weather conditions were partly cloudy with a light to moderate breeze. Salinities were brackish ranging from 10 to 17. Dissolved oxygen (DO) values were very low in the segment this month, likely due to a combination of stagnant water, light winds, and partly cloudy conditions.

NRT-01
Salinity at 0.3m - 16.6
DO - 0.5 mg/L and 7.4%

NRT-02
Salinity at 0.3m - 16.4
DO - 2.7 mg/L and 40.2%

NRT-03
Salinity at 0.3m - 14.1
DO - 1.4 mg/L and 19.3%

NRT-04
Salinity at 0.3m - 10.0
DO - 5.1 mg/L and 71.5%

NRT-05
Salinity at 0.3m - 11.5
DO - 5.7 mg/L and 80.4%

08/06/2026

Our Laguna Madre Field Station has a new water tank!

Nueces River Tidal Segment Update for July 2026. Monthly sampling in the Nueces River Tidal Segment occurred on July 21s...
07/27/2026

Nueces River Tidal Segment Update for July 2026.

Monthly sampling in the Nueces River Tidal Segment occurred on July 21st. Weather conditions were the typical hot and sunny, with a moderate southeast breeze.

Last month's sampling event took place at the tail end of multiple flow events to the Nueces Tidal Segment from rain that occurred below Lake Corpus Christi. The segment received 5,276 acre-feet of inflows that resulted in fresh water at all stations in June.

No flow was recorded by the USGS for July 2026. Surface salinities started to creep up but were still on the low end of brackish with 6-7 ppt at all stations. Bottom salinities at the deepest station (NRT-02 at 5.3 meters) were around 12 ppt from 2.0-5.0 meters down.

NRT-01 had very low dissolved oxygen (1 mg/L and 13%). We saw mullet on the surface that were struggling with the lack of oxygen, but no dead fish were observed. Surface (0.3 m) oxygen levels were much better at the stations downstream. Stations 1-3 had elevated values of chlorophyll-a concentrations around 60 µmhos/cm (TCEQ screening limit is 21 µg/L). Bacteria levels were much lower this month at 20-40 CFU/100 mL

At stations 4 and 5, the oxygen levels were much higher and supersaturated (in excess of 100% oxygen) in the 10-11 mg/L range at the surface. Chlorophyll-a values were highly elevated (100-200 µg/L). Bacteria concentrations were 10 -31 CFU/100 mL at NRT-04 and NRT-05 respectively).

The final report for last year's sampling effort is online. Check it out from the link below.

https://www.cbbep.org/manager/wp-content/uploads/2536-Final-Report_Final.pdf

On my way to NYC for the NOAA CCME scholars meeting! I’m supporting Brenna Edwards, one of the scholars and a M.S. grad...
07/20/2026

On my way to NYC for the NOAA CCME scholars meeting! I’m supporting Brenna Edwards, one of the scholars and a M.S. graduate student who is in our lab! She is presenting her research regarding feral swine impacts on wetland vegetation in South Texas wetlands. Go Brenna!

Center for Coastal Studies staff were out on the river last Tuesday (June 23rd) to get water quality data for the monthl...
06/29/2026

Center for Coastal Studies staff were out on the river last Tuesday (June 23rd) to get water quality data for the monthly nutrient and bacteria study funded by a grant through the Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program. This month's sampling event took place at the tail end of multiple flow events sourced from runoff below Lake Corpus Christi. At the time of sampling, flow over the Calallen "saltwater barrier" Dam was 132 cfs and dropping.

Sampling data from the past 2 years were obtained during extreme drought conditions that saw very little water flowing over the saltwater dam. Tidal fluxes are very low in the segment. The result is very stagnant water that is susceptible to extreme stratification of the water column for salt, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and pH. Deeper water stations NRT-01 and NRT-02 typically had no available dissolved oxygen below 2.0 meters. Mean chlorophyll-a concentrations were typically between 3 and 6 times the screening limit (21 µg/L) indicating high nutrient loads are likely. Nutrient data also confirmed elevated levels of total nitrogen.

TPWD responded to a major fish kill in the segment in early May a week after the May sampling event. The segment needed a good flushing. Luckily the rains came and provided some major relief.

Here are the water quality data results. Nutrient data are still being processed and are not provided.

NRT-01 - Located below the saltwater barrier dam at Labonte Park
Water depth = 2.3 meters
No stratification was recorded
Salinity - 0.38 ppt at surface
Flow over saltwater = 132 cfs
Dissolved Oxygen = 5.4 mg/L and 71% oxygen
Chlorophyll = 2.8 µg/L (mean here are 59 µg/L)
Enterococcus bacteria = 380 MPN/100mL (104 MPN is the single day criteria/35 MPN is the mean criteria)

NRT-02 - Located at the first train crossing
Water depth = 5.3 meters
Salinity - 0.9 ppt at surface and 2.4 ppt at 5.0 meters
Some stratification was recorded
Dissolved Oxygen (0.3m) = 4.7mg/L and 61.9% oxygen saturation
Dissolved Oxygen (5.0m) = 3.2mg/L and 43.2% oxygen saturation
Chlorophyll = 5.4 µg/L (mean here are 69 µg/L)
Enterococcus bacteria = 583 MPN/100mL (104 MPN is the single day criteria/35 MPN is the mean criteria)

NRT-03 - Located at the terminus of Figuero Road
Water depth = 0.9 meters
Salinity - 1.02 ppt
Dissolved Oxygen (0.3m) = 5.0 mg/L and 66.9% oxygen saturation
Chlorophyll = 6.2 µg/L (mean here are 78 µg/L)
Enterococcus bacteria = 580 MPN/100mL (104 MPN is the single day criteria/35 MPN is the mean criteria)

NRT-04 - Located 1000m upstream of Allison WWTP outfall
Water depth = 1.3 meters
Salinity - 1.16 ppt
Dissolved Oxygen (0.3m) = 5.0 mg/L and 66.3% oxygen saturation
Chlorophyll = 6.9 µg/L (mean here are 129 µg/L)
Enterococcus bacteria = 230 MPN/100mL (104 MPN is the single day criteria/35 MPN is the mean criteria)

NRT-05 - Located upstream of 2nd railroad crossing
Water depth = 1.4 meters
Salinity - 1.14 ppt
Dissolved Oxygen (0.3m) = 4.7 mg/L and 62.1.% oxygen saturation
Chlorophyll = 6.9 µg/L (mean here are 129 µg/L)
Enterococcus bacteria = 280 MPN/100mL (104 MPN is the single day criteria/35 MPN is the mean criteria)

Address

6300 Ocean Drive, NRC 3200
Corpus Christi, TX
78412

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 5pm
Tuesday 7am - 5pm
Wednesday 7am - 5pm
Thursday 7am - 5pm
Friday 7am - 5pm

Telephone

+13618252768

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