PLUM CREEK: One community uses technology to fight the 
threats of feral hogs. Find out more on Passport to Texas.

PTT from TPW and the SFWR Program

After water sampling turned up high levels of E. coli 
bacteria in streams south of Austin, the Plum Creek 
Watershed Partnership was created to restore water 
quality. 

Soon after, they developed a Web site to track feral hogs, 
which are one of the main sources of the E. coli.

Depending on environmental conditions, times of the year, and where 
you are, what we have preliminarily in some of the feedback is that 
they might be to upper third or half of the bacteria problem in some 
areas. :11

Matt Berg is the Plum Creek Watershed coordinator. He 
says drought makes the situation even worse.

Especially in these dry times, those hogs are going to be hanging 
right next to the stream and having a lot easier time of depositing 
their fecal matter right into that stream and increasing the bacteria 
count. :10

The newly developed Web site allows landowners or the 
general public to report the date and type of damage 
from the feral hogs. It even has an interactive map where 
residents can identify the location of the hogs. This way, 
officials know where to direct hog management efforts.

Berg says the Web site is one of many tools that will be 
necessary to successfully manage feral hogs.

This is just one piece of that puzzle and I think as we go through time, 
as more of those pieces will fall into place, we might be able to make a 
dent in those populations. :7




That's our show ... with research and writing help from 
Gretchen Mahan. The SFWR Program supports our series. 
For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I'm Cecilia Nasti.

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