September 28 water quality results

September 28, 2011

Every other Wednesday from June through September, WRP volunteers test for bacteria at swimming holes around the White River watershed and at the mouths of major tributaries.

Bacterial monitoring is a practical method to determine the potential health risk of water exposure. Bacteria are microscopic, single-celled organisms that can be found in virtually any environment. Bacterial indicators of pollution are the species found in the intestines of warmblooded animals, including humans, where many pathogens also originate. Indicator bacteria in a waterway come from many sources, including animal droppings, faulty or leaking septic or sewage systems, stormwater runoff, and disturbed sediments.

The EPA “swimmable” standard is 235 bacteria colonies/100 mL sample. Sites exceeding the EPA standard are marked with an asterisk (*).

September 28 bacteria data

Weather past 24 hours: sunny

West Hartford Bridge gauge reading:
1,210 cfs (daily mean value: 514 cfs)

Main stem sites

Watson Park – 59.1
West Hartford bridge – 30.1
The Sharon Academy – no data
Pinch Rock – 39.9
Peavine Park-Bethel – 37.7
Silver Lake – no data
Gaysville Bridge – 32.8
Peavine Park-Stockbridge – 29.2
Lion’s Club Park – 25.9
Taylor Meadow Road – 6.3

First Branch sites

Mouth of First Branch – 162.4
Tunbridge Town Pool Tributary – 71.2
Chelsea Rec Park – 38.4

Second Branch sites

Mouth of Second Branch – 50.4
Dugout Road – 203.5
Sunset Lake – 2.0

Third Branch Sites

Mouth of Third Branch – 65.0
Stock Farm Road – 113.7
Randolph Rec Park – 21.6
Riford Brook Road – no data

Tweed River

Mouth of Tweed at Timber Hawk – 5.2

To view all 2011 water quality data, check out White_River_water_quality_data_2011.pdf

For more information about water quality monitoring, check out our Program page.