Spring flow has been limited by vegetation and an increase in the irrigation along the creek, he said. That, coupled with several years of drought, have lessened the flow of the stream.

Some sites, however, have maintained water year-round and others are gaining water due to recent rains, Sij said. These will continue to be monitored for several more years.

Phase 1, the bacterial monitoring phase, is essentially complete and Phase II is concentrating on bacterial-source tracking, he said. The Phase II study will identify the animal sources contributing to the contamination, as well as their relative contribution to the total bacterial load.

The ultimate goal is to educate stakeholders and develop a Watershed Protection Plan so water quality will be able to support a healthy aquatic ecosystem and recreational activities, Sij said.

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Contact: Dr. John Sij
jsij@ag.tamu.edu
940-552-9941
Texas A&M University - Agricultural Communications
24-Oct-2006