Natural Resources Training Program

2012 Land Grant and Sea Grant National Water Conference - May 20–24

Marriott Waterfront Hotel, Portland, OR

Bacterial Detection and Tracking Symposium - Agenda
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Visit the conference website for registration information. Click here for hotel and travel information.

Session Organizers

  • Dr. Kevin Wagner
  • Dr. Terry Gentry

Session Speakers

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

Protection of our water resources is one of the most significant environmental challenges of the new millennium. Nonpoint sources (NPS) of pollution, including agricultural activities, can greatly impact water quality. One key component in effectively implementing a NPS pollution abatement program is the identification and assessment of sources of fecal pollution. Proper evaluation of these sources is needed to target best management practices (BMPs) and develop bacterial total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) or watershed protection plans (WPPs). Bacterial source tracking (BST) is a valuable tool for identifying human and animal sources of fecal pollution. The state of BST science, methodologies, and applications has evolved greatly in the past few years. A host of new information is currently available, yet not readily distributed to state and federal agency personnel. This lack of information transfer has spurred the need for an informational symposium geared toward familiarizing those in attendance with recent advances in BST technologies. The symposium will be targeted toward scientists involved in or interested in the use of BST analysis; state, federal, and regional agency personnel; and other interested persons.

Topics for this symposium include:

  • Source Tracking - Past, Present, Future
  • Issues with the use of fecal indicator bacteria for determining water quality
  • Watershed-scale BST research and case studies
  • Perspectives from work with regulatory agencies and stakeholder groups
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