Microbiome changes in Clear Lake Watershed after Hurrican Harvey induced flooding

This project aims to identify changes in microbial populations in the waters the received floodwater from the Clear Lake watershed in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Hurricane Harvey deluged the Houston metropolitan area in August of 2017 with over a meter of rain in less than 48 hours. This rainfall set a record for the continental United States and exposed thousands, perhaps millions, of citizens and first responders to potentially contaminated floodwaters. Extreme weather events could also alter the quality of receiving waters. Flooding can result in release of petroleum products and other hazardous materials that could stress aquatic systems. Clear Lake, an estuary between Houston and Galveston that connects with Western Galveston Bay is popular with anglers and boaters. To determine the impact of Hurricane Harvey (HH) on the health of Clear Lake, we collected water samples immediately before and after landfall of Hurricane Harvey, and then weekly into the fall. These samples were analyzed for fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), dissolved inorganic nutrients (DIN) and microbial community structure, as assessed by metagenomic analysis.