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Bacteri ALERT : A Program for Monitoring and Real-time Estimation of Indicator Bacteria

Bacteri ALERT : A Program for Monitoring and Real-time Estimation of Indicator Bacteria. By Stephen J. Lawrence, Atlanta, Georgia. Background. The project is an outgrowth of the Georgia Governor’s Green Space Initiative and former Vice President Al Gore’s Livable Communities Initiative

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Bacteri ALERT : A Program for Monitoring and Real-time Estimation of Indicator Bacteria

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  1. BacteriALERT: A Program for Monitoring and Real-time Estimation of Indicator Bacteria By Stephen J. Lawrence, Atlanta, Georgia

  2. Background • The project is an outgrowth of the Georgia Governor’s Green Space Initiative and former Vice President Al Gore’s Livable Communities Initiative • National Park Service wanted a means to notify the public when indicator bacteria in the Chattahoochee River exceeded the USEPA criteria

  3. Partnerships • Partnerships include Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Georgia Conservancy, Georgia EPD, National Park Service, and USGS

  4. Purpose and Scope • Monitor total coliform and E. coli bacteria levels daily at three sites on the Chattahoochee River • Provide easily accessible results to the public within 24 hours of sample collection • Monitor turbidity in real-time and estimate average E. coli concentration at two sites

  5. Study Area • Currently limited to the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

  6. Sample Collection Methods • Samples are collected by employees from the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (an NGO) and the National Park Service

  7. Sample Collection • Weighted sterile bottle • Centroid of flow • Water column from surface to near bottom • Sample is placed on ice and transported to USGS office

  8. Bacteria Analysis • Colilert Method by IDEXX Corp. • Enzyme substrate using multiple cells (wells) • Similar to the older Multiple-tube Method • Uses statistical tables to determine most probable number of colony forming units • Provides results in 18-20 hours

  9. Bacteria Analysis—Flow chart

  10. Bacteria Analysis • Under visible light, cells are yellow in the presence of total coliform bacteria • Under UV light, cells fluoresce blue-green in the presence of E. coli bacteria

  11. Quality Control Measures • Ensure that the bacteria counts represent what is in the river • Cleanliness and sterility during sample collection and processing • Cleanliness and sterility of bottles and utensils • Ability to track potential points of contamination • Compare with other methods

  12. Quality Control Measures—Cleanliness and sterility? • Collectors and analysts wear latex or nitrile gloves • Sample bottles and utensils are either used once and disposed or sterilized

  13. Quality Control Measures—Track potential contamination • Lots of sterile water are produced and analyzed for bacteria • Each reagent lot is tested for bacteria • Sterile bottles are tested for bacteria

  14. Quality Control measures—Compare with other methods • Total coliform, fecal coliform, and E. coli bacteria are also analyzed by membrane filtration m-coliblue24 broth m-FC agar

  15. RESULTS--Comparison of membrane filter and Colilert methods for E. coli

  16. Comparison of fecal coliform membrane filtration with E. coli Colilert

  17. RESULTS--Relation between indicator bacteria and turbidity

  18. Real-time Estimation of E. coliEstimation equations • 12 months of E. coli and turbidity monitoring produced enough data to develop multiple regression equations • Equations use turbidity and streamflow measurements, season, and flow regime (baseflow, stormflow) to estimate E. coli bacteria density • About 81% of the variability in E. coli density is explained by those parameters

  19. Real-time Estimation of E. coliRole of continuous monitors • Continuous turbidity is measured using YSI water-quality sondes • These turbidity measurements, streamflow, and current date are plugged into the estimation equations every 15 minutes to give a real-time estimate of E. coli density. • The E. coli estimates are retrieved by a Cold Fusion program and posted to the BacteriALERT Web page

  20. Public Awareness: Web Page(url: water.ga.usgs.gov/bacteria)

  21. Web Page Links—data tables

  22. E-Mail Alert • Each day an email containing the previous day’s bacteria counts is sent to those who have signed up on the web page to receive the notice

  23. Public Awareness: National Park Service On-site Signage E. Coli count above 235 cfu/100 mL E. Coli count below 235 cfu/100 mL

  24. Public Awareness: Print Media • Several news articles have been written about BacteriALERT

  25. Public Awareness-Other • Links to the BacteriALERT web page are found on the web sites and in newsletters of fishing clubs, conservation organizations, canoeing and rafting organizations

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