In September 2006, a seven person Bacteria Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Task Force was charged by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board to evaluate bacteria TMDL development and implementation in the state and develop a list of recommendations for improving this process. Specifically, this Task Force was changed with examining various approaches to develop and implement bacteria TMDLs, recommending economical and timely methods for developing TMDLs and TMDL Implementation Plans (I-Plans), evaluating models and bacteria source tracking (BST) methods available for developing TMDLs and I-Plans and making recommendation for their appropriate use, and with further developing a roadmap for further scientific research needed to reduce uncertainty about bacteria behavior under different water conditions in Texas. These charges and the guidance provided by this Task Force served as the impetus for developing the Fate and Transport of E. coli in Rural Texas Landscapes and Streams project
