Download - OPERATION CLEARWATER : Bacterial Water Quality Monitoring Sally G. Hornor Environmental Center
OPERATION CLEARWATER:Bacterial Water Quality Monitoring
Sally G. HornorEnvironmental Center
Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold MD [email protected]
TMAW/LivRAW Meeting March 9, 2007
SRA-AACC Partnership To Monitor Bacterial Water Quality
• How is the program managed?
• What bacteria are used as indicators?
• What are the sources of these bacteria?
• How do we sample and count?
• How are data reported?
• How can we use these data to improve water quality?
OPERATION CLEARWATER
Established in 1974 to provide information on bacterial water quality at bathing beaches and marinas
Only River Association-based bacterial water quality monitoring program in this region
2003 – Sierra Club Award of Appreciation, Anne Arundel Group
Operation ClearwaterProgram Management
• March: SRA sends out letter with application to all waterfront communities. Cost $22 per sample (weekly or biweekly schedule for 14 week season) + one-time $10 fee to SRA. Community appoints a Op. Clearwater representative.
• May 1: deadline for applications• mid-May -Aug 30: sampling season; data posted
weekly on SRA website linked to Hornor’s homepage at AACC. Severnriver.org and take link to Op. Clearwater Results
• If a count is high, community representative contacted via email or phone
Bacterial Indicators ofRecreational Water Quality
Indicator EPA “Safe level” for single sample
• Fecal Coliforms 200/100 ml• Enterococci < 105/100 ml• E. coli < 235/100 ml
“Safe level” = keep GI illness to 19/1000 bathers at designated beaches
Enterococcusfaecalis Escherichia coli
Sources of Enterococci in Tidal Waters of the Severn River
• Failing septic systems or sewer line
• Boat heads and pump-out stations
• Stormwater runoff carrying domestic animal waste
• Waterfowl and other wildlife
MagothyRiver
SevernRiver
South River
Rhode and West Rivers
Little Round Bay
Sherwood Forest
Pines on the Severn
Arden
Valentine Creek
Pointfield Landing
Ben Oaks
Dreams Landing
Severn RiverOperation Clearwater Sites
Round Bay
Glen Oban
The DownsEpping Forest
WinchesterBrown’s Pond
Weem’s Creek
Sample Collection
Sample Filtration in Lab
Filtered Samples
Operation Clearwater Mid-Summer 2001 Report Sally Hornor, AACC Environmental Center
Enterococci/100 ml
Location 5/16 5/23* 5/30* 6/6 6/13 6/21 6/27 7/5* Amberley 0 8 0 258
Brown’s Pond 9900 45 16 2145 Winchester 525 49 8 330
Pines 4 220 49 4 12 9 16 510 Glen Oban 4600 96 7 350 Round Bay 4 117 47 4
W Severna Park 230 12 43 2110 Colchester 320 16 0 310 Ben Oaks Severn R 2600 12 2 2600
pond 24 8 0 8
Pointfield Landing
4000 198 12 2215
Arden
Severn R 4 83 11 10 Valentine Cr 225 25 36 220
Herald Harbor 410 475 46 495 96 171 20 165 Palisades 1700 25 28
Sherwood Forest Brewer Pt 4 7 5 8
pier 585 0 0 260 The Downs 0 900 53 4 0 29 5 785
Epping Forest 38 40 258 12 38 270 Dream’s Landing 7 4 20 559 20 175
Weem’s Cr 78 29 Bay Ridge 28 0 40 120
*5/23: Approx. 2.3” of rain within 48 of sampling *5/30: Approx. 3” of rain within 72 hours of sampling *7/5: More than 1” of rain within 24 hours of sampling Operation Clearwater Data
What if FC or enterococci count is high?
• Community representative is contacted by phone or email
• Often communities place a sign at beachfront notifying swimmers that bacterial counts are high
• Communities include information on bacterial counts and recreational water quality in newsletters
• Search for source of bacteria• 2004 Venice Beach example
Oyster Harbor Venice Beach 2004
• May 26: 1215• June 9: 42• June 23: 370• July 7: 302• July 21: 492• Bring in the border
collies• August 4: 28• August 18: 0
Enterococci/100 ml
What can be done to reduce bacterial counts?
• Reduce stormwater runoff with rain barrels, rain gardens and reduced impervious surfaces
• Maintain septic systems• Educate boaters about the importance of
using holding tanks and pumpout stations at marinas
• Discourage feeding of waterfowl at bathing beaches
• Encourage pet owners to clean up after their pets
• Encourage waterfront property owners to maintain vegetated buffers
Value of River Association-Sponsored Bacterial Water Quality Monitoring
• Community involvement and education• Community confidence in recreational water
quality• Timely reporting of poor recreational water
quality• Ability to respond rapidly to high counts and
look for sources• Long-term trends are determined