Phinizy Center Awarded Georgia Power Foundation Grant
Wednesday, June 1st, 2022
Are feral hogs polluting Brushy Creek? Thanks to funding from the Georgia Power Foundation Waters for Georgia Program, researchers are about to find out. Phinizy Center scientists have been tracking bacterial pollution in Brushy Creek over the last 3 years. Brushy Creek is located in Jefferson and Burke County and passes directly through the city of Wrens.
How do creeks become polluted with bacteria? “There are a few different ways – heavy rainfall can wash contaminants into the creek including manure-based fertilizers and waste from domestic animals. It can also come from wild animals living in the watershed, or carcasses that have been dumped into the creek,” says Jacob Lott, Phinizy Center Research Technician.
This work brings Brushy Creek one step closer to being delisted as an impaired waterbody, so that the water is clean and safe for fisherman and all that use the creek. “The Foundation is proud to support projects designed to improve water quality and contribute to measurable benefits for communities and the environment across the state of Georgia,” says Rita Breen, Executive Director of the Georgia Power Foundation.
Phinizy Center researchers are forming a new partnership with Dr. Dave Bachoon (Georgia College) to perform microbial source tracking, an innovative method to identify the species responsible for bacterial pollution from fecal matter. Microbes live in the feces of different animals, such as hogs, chicken, and cattle. We can identify species-specific microbes to determine which animals are contributing to the high levels of bacterial pollution.
The research began as a 319(h) Grant led by Tom Mims (Brier Creek Soil and Water Conservation District) to reduce bacterial pollution in Brushy Creek through feral hog management and an education outreach campaign. While 237 feral hogs have been removed from the Brushy Creek watershed since 2020, bacterial pollution levels remain high, especially in the summer months. The Georgia Power Foundation’s Waters for Georgia grant will provide funding to identify the root cause of bacterial pollution and guide management.
