The Big Dry Creek Watershed Association conducts a variety of routine activities and special studies, which are posted to this website when completed, as well as summarized in annual newsletters. The primary focus during 2010 is related to an E. coli TMDL.
As of 2010, the primary focus of BDCWA is related to a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for E. coli in Big Dry Creek. E. coli is an indicator of fecal contamination associated with the intestines of warm-blooded animals and is used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish ambient water quality criteria for recreation. The Colorado Water Quality Control Commission has established stream standards for Big Dry Creek based on these criteria. Recent studies by BDCWA show that municipal wastewater treatment plants and dry weather flows from municipal storm sewer systems (“point sources”) are not the cause of elevated E. coli concentrations in the creek. Instead, diffuse (“non-point”) sources of bacteria appear to be a more likely cause of elevated concentrations of the indicator bacteria. Wildlife in the Big Dry Creek open space corridor such as birds nesting under bridges, coyotes, foxes, beavers and other warm-blooded animals are suspected as primary sources in the upper watershed where public access to the stream (such as wading) may potentially occur. In the lower watershed, wildlife and cattle along the stream are suspected as potential sources; however, public access to the stream in the land adjacent to the stream in the lower watershed is on private property and not accessible for public recreation. For more information on E. coli issues in Colorado, download A Synopsis of Recreational Water Quality Issues in Colorado: White Paper Summarizing Results of E. coli Work Group 2007-2009. BDCWA has also conducted a series of studies on Big Dry Creek and is working with the Colorado Water Quality Control Division and U.S. EPA Region 8 to develop a TMDL appropriate to conditions present in Big Dry Creek.