Canine Scent and Microbial Source Tracking in Santa Barbara, CA
Research Impact
The purpose of this study was to test canine scent tracking (sewage sniffing dogs) for source tracking in municipal stormwater investigations. Canine responses were compared against traditional wastewater indicators, illicit discharge detection tracers, and emerging human-specific waste markers in storm drain locations in Santa Barbara, California. Canine scent tracking was also tested for effectiveness in locating contaminated inputs to storm drains, addressing a specific hypothesis of contamination arising from illicit dumping from recreational vehicles, and conducting systematic watershed reconnaissance. Based on the results of this pilot-scale study, canine scent tracking is a tool that should be expanded for use by researchers and stormwater managers. Published by WERF. 56 pages. Online PDF. (2011)
Originally funded as WERF project U2R09.
