Factors controlling variability in nearshore fecal pollution: The effects of mortality

► FIB models with mortality had higher skill than those with only advection/diffusion. ► Skill was highest for models allowing FIB mortality to vary in the cross-shore. ► Enterococcus species composition and solar dose response varied across shore. ► The best E. coli model included solar-dependent and cross-shore variable mortality. ► No single best model was identified for Enterococcus.