Testing recreational waters for bacterial contamination in selected streams in Jefferson County WV

Abstract

BRAEDEN BAYNE and PETER VILA, Dept of Natural and Physical Sciences, Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, WV 25443.  Testing recreational waters for bacterial contamination in selected streams in Jefferson County WV

Three streams - Bullskin Run, Evitts Run, and Town Run - that flow through urban and rural areas were sampled for Escherichia coli (E. coli) contamination using IDEXX methodology. There was no significant difference between first order and mouth mainstem CFU/mL values and many samples exceeded the EPA criterion of 409 CFU/mL for lightly used waters with full body contact.  In contrast, E. coli levels at a Town Run Spring were low (0-47 CFU/mL), indicating that groundwater bacterial levels are low and bacterial contamination in the mainstem originates from surface or shallow surface water inputs.  Preliminary analysis indicates that the three watersheds differ in land cover: agriculture, forest, and urban/developed use. With varying land uses surrounding each of the stream locations microbial source tracking or a source determination study will be required to determine the source of bacterial contamination found in surface waters.