Project Goals/Objectives: The overall objective of the project is to collect watershed specific data in an effort to quantify the major sources of E. coli bacteria on dairy operations. Information and data collected during the monitoring phase will be used in the development of an educational program focusing on best management practices (BMPs) to reduce the movement of E. coli bacteria and nutrients to surface waters. The educational program will equip dairy producers with the knowledge and understanding needed to reduce the possibility that their operations will be a source of bacteria and nutrients to the Leon River. The monitoring and the educational programs will be designed to coordinate with the development of a TMDL implementation plan or a watershed protection plan, and will provide information and assistance for future watershed planning needs.
In 2002, the Leon River below Lake Proctor was listed as being impaired for bacteria according to the Texas Water Quality and 303(d) List. Due to the listing for impairment, the Leon River Watershed was selected by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for the development of a TMDL. As of January 2006, the TMDL was in the developmental process. Part of the TMDL development includes modeling the various sources of bacteria in the watershed. However, much of the data used for the model was taken from literature sources due to a lack of actual data from the watershed. The limited data available from the watershed creates challenges in the determination of implementation strategies that will be the most successful in decreasing the amount of bacteria entering surface water in the Leon Watershed.
During the development of the TMDL for the Leon Watershed, livestock and waste application fields were implicated as being significant sources of bacterial loading to the Leon River. Through the finalization of the TMDL and the initiation of the implementation stage, an increased knowledge of the actual levels of bacteria in livestock waste and best management practices that reduce the runoff of bacteria from waste application fields will assist in decreasing movement of bacteria to surface water.
Actual data taken from sources in the Leon Watershed would assist in the development and implementation of the TMDL. Monitoring of bacterial sources listed in the TMDL will be beneficial in determining the sources of greatest bacterial concentrations and will assist in determining the risks associated with a variety of management practices on livestock operations.
Decreasing nutrient and bacteria loads in a watershed is dependent on the education of residents in the watershed. Providing resources to educate residents as to the best management practices that can be used to reduce movement of bacteria to surface waters is essential to the development of a successful TMDL implementation phase. Collection of data in the watershed will provide and increase understanding of bacteria loads in the watershed and will provide knowledge for areas that should be targeted to reduce the risks of bacteria from moving off the land and into surface waters.
The overall objective of the project is to collect watershed specific data in an effort to quantify the major sources of E. coli bacteria on dairy operations. Information and data collected during the monitoring phase will be used in the development of an educational program focusing on best management practices (BMPs) to reduce the movement of E. coli bacteria and nutrients to surface waters. The educational program will equip dairy producers with the knowledge and understanding needed to reduce the possibility that their operations will be a source of bacteria and nutrients to the Leon River. The monitoring and the educational programs will be designed to coordinate with the development of the TMDL Implementation Plan or the Watershed Protection Plan, and will provide information and assistance for future watershed planning needs.
Project Location: Leon River Watershed
Project Costs: Federal ($438,357); Non Federal Match ($298,572); Total Project: ($736,929)
Project Participant(s): TSSWCB, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, and Texas AgriLife Research
Project Workplan: 06-07
Project QAPP: 06-07