Etowah River bacteria levels high after heavy rains from Storm Lee

Attached please find our Etowah River bacteria graphic for Sept. 7. The geometric mean for our three testing sites this week was 177.1 cfu/100ml, above the U.S. EPA safe limit of 126 cfu/100ml. Below please find the data for each of our three monitoring sites:

 

	9/7/2011 Water Temp. 22
Second Ave.	436 cfu/100ml
Rome Bypass	101.2 cfu/100ml
US 411	125.9 cfu/100ml
Geometric Mean:	177.1 cfu/100ml

 

Since CRBI began this testing program in March, the geometric mean of the three testing sites has been within "safe limits" in 20 of 24 monitoring events. The U.S. Geological Survey rain gauge at US 411 near Kingston registered rainfall of 4 inches on Sept. 5-6. Bacteria levels in our rivers usually increase after heavy rains as pollution on the land's surface washes off into streams feeding the Etowah and into the Etowah itself.