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Leona RiverSELECT Modeling and Potential Bacteria Sources

Texas Institute for Applied Environmental ResearchStephenville, Texas

January 24, 2013

•Lead Agency -Texas Soil & Water Conservation Board

•Support provided byNueces River Authority

Texas A&M Dept Soil & Crop Sciences & Spatial Sciences Laboratory

Acknowledgements

• SELECT (Spatially Explicit Load Enrichment Calculation Tool)

– Developed by Dept. of Biological and Agricultural Engineering and Spatial Sciences Laboratory at Texas A&M University by Dr. R. Karthikeyan, Dr. R. Srinivasan and others

Modeling Bacteria Sources

• Identifies potential bacteria loadings by subwatershed based on input data

• Spatial data, such as:– Land Use– Soils– Stream networkprovides a framework to visually representing input data and highlighting areas of potentially higher loadings

SELECT

• Population & Household Densities (Census data)

• Livestock Densities– Stakeholder Input– Agricultural Statistics (USDA) County

level data

Input Data

• Wildlife (native & exotic) – Stakeholder Input– Resource Experts (TPWD & others)

• Domestic & Feral Animals– Stakeholder Input– Resource Experts (TPWD & others)

Input Data

Source: Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, Texas A&M University 7

Walnut Creek - Subwatersheds

Source: Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, Texas A&M University8

Walnut Creek - Potential E. coli loads

Source: Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, Texas A&M University9

Walnut Creek - Total Potential Daily E. coli load

• Wastewater Treatment Facilities– Uvalde– Batesville– US Fish & Wildlife Service National Fish

Hatchery

Potential Sources in the Leona

• Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations– Chaparral Cattle Feedlot (Uvalde)– Live Oak Feedlot (Batesville)

• Septage Sludge or Sewage Fields– None identified with permit review

Potential Sources in the Leona

• On-Site Sewage Facilities– What areas are on septic vs WWTF?– What kind of failures occur?– What is the “risk” of failure?

Potential Sources in the Leona

• Livestock based on County Statistics– Cattle & Calves (est. 28,000 head)– Goats (est. 6,000 head)– Sheep (est. 2,500 head)– Horses/Donkeys (est. 400 head)– Hogs (est. 100 head)

Cattle, horses/donkey & hogs spread throughout Goats & Sheep primarily in Uvalde County

Does this make sense for the watershed?

Potential Sources in the Leona

• What kinds of livestock operations primarily occur?– Cow/calf – Yearling

• What stocking rates are reasonable– For rangeland?– For improved pastureland?

Are there other types of livestock or types of operations that should be considered?

Potential Sources in the Leona

• Wildlife & Exotics– Deer – population estimates?– Exotics – population estimates?

Potential Unregulated Sources

• Feral Hogs– How large is the feral hog problem in

the Leona?– Where do the hogs primarily “hang

out”?

Potential Unregulated Sources

• Domestic Animals– Usually consider only dogs– Assume 1 dog per household

Does this make sense for the Leona watershed?

Potential Unregulated Sources

• Complete land use update with the Spatial Sciences Laboratory

• Obtain feedback on input information for SELECT

http://www.leonariver.org/

Next Steps

Contact Information

Nikki JacksonEmail: njackson@tiaer.tarleton.eduOffice Phone: 254.968.1920

Anne McFarlandEmail: mcfarla@tiaer.tarleton.eduOffice Phone: 254.968.9581

Questions?

Thank You

Anne McFarlandTexas Institute for Applied Environmental Research

mcfarla@tiaer.tarleton.edu254.968.9581