Bacterial Total Maximum Daily Load Analysis for Copano Bay

With over 300 bacterial total maximum daily load (TMDL) studies to be completed in the State of Texas, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is looking for rapid, non-controversial modeling approaches. Of particular interest is the development of a "simple" modeling approach for coastal systems where many of the TMDL studies are required. The focus of our work is to develop a new bacterial TMDL modeling approach for the Texas Gulf Coast by combining previously approved models with nationally available datasets. This paper discusses the methods used to calculate bacterial loadings from the Copano Bay watershed to Copano Bay. It also explores how the tidal prism method will be modified for application to Copano Bay and its tidal river segments.