Hydroclimatic Modulations of Bacteria/Nutrient Input to Texas Coastal Water

Summary

Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi will evaluate the vulnerability of on-site sewage facilities (OSSFs) and other buried sewage structures to tidal fluctuations, hydrologic conditions, and other factors that link bacteria and nitrogen inputs to nearshore waters using groundwater-seawater interaction analyses and source tracking. TAMU-CC will continue monitoring the water table and its response to tidal fluctuations/precipitation at a large-scale using high temporal resolution sampling. TAMU-CC will also complete high-frequency sampling at two highly impacted areas: Surfside-Quintana Park and Artist Boat Coastal Heritage Preserve. TAMUCC will analyze groundwater, porewater, surface-water, and sediment core samples for molecular human and animal markers (bird and dog), culture-based FIB, nitrogen isotopes, nutrients, and groundwater tracers. Given the similarities among the two higher frequency sites and the other currently monitored locations, the additional monitoring by TAMU-CC will provide a “proof of concept” for other locations along barrier islands.