2017 Bacterial Source Tracking Study Overview

In an effort to support Cypress Creek watershed protection planning and better characterize instream E. coli bacteria sources near downtown Wimberley, TX, The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment has entered into a partnership with the Texas A&M AgriLife Research – Soil & Aquatic Microbiology Laboratory to conduct a short-term Bacterial Source Tracking study of Cypress Creek. 

Excerpt from Cypress Creek BST Final Report Analysis and Recommendations

• Livestock or wildlife were identified as the source for 90% (18 of 20) of the isolates analyzed by SAML using a 7-way ID. While this does not eliminate other sources, it does indicate that livestock and wildlife are a substantial source of E. coli bacteria present in this reach of Cypress Creek during both dry and wet weather conditions.
• This study indicates substantial bacteria loading in Cypress Creek at one or more locations over the approximately ½ mile reach of Cypress Creek studied. There were considerable increases in recorded E. coli concentrations noted during each sampling event (both wet and dry weather conditions) moving from upstream Site #1 to downstream Site #2. The data indicate Site #1 is achieving water quality protective of safe contact recreation during baseflow conditions while E. coli concentrations at Site #2 exceeded contact recreation standards during each sampling event.

For more information on this project, please visit the Bacterial Source Tracking page on our website.