TR-496 Texas BST Program Refinement, Expansion and Use – FY15
Authors: K. Wagner, T.J. Gentry, M. Mukherjee, G.D. Di Giovanni, E.A. Casarez, J.A. Truesdale
In Texas, 255 waterbodies were impaired due to excessive bacteria in 2014. To identify bacterial sources and help address these impairments, Texas established a bacterial source tracking (BST) program circa 2006. To support maintenance, expansion, and use of the Texas BST library and other BST tools, in fiscal year 2015, TWRI, UTSPH EP and AgriLife SCSC collaborated with the TSSWCB to:
- Quantify and characterize the possibility of naturalized E. coli populations in soil and runoff
- Further evaluate and refine the Texas E. coli BST library
- Continue evaluation and development/refining of source‐specific bacterial PCR markers
- Support BST efforts in the Arroyo Colorado and other watersheds
- Provide outreach regarding BST