In agricultural intensive areas, drinking contaminated water from private wells is considered an important cause of acute gastroenteric illnesses (AGI), particularly among high-risk populations. In the summer of 2009, the microbial water quality of 180 randomly selected private wells in two northeastern Ohio counties, a region with a high concentration of dairy farms, was assessed. Forty-five percent (82/180) of water samples were contaminated with total coliforms. Generic Escherichia coli were present in 9% (16/180) of samples. Using real-time polymerase chain reaction, E. coli O157:H7 was identified in 4% (7/180) of specimens. Campylobacter spp. DNA could not be amplified from 70 of the samples tested for this organism. The frequency of generic E. coli contamination varied among townships (P < 0.001). Well structure (i.e. age and depth) or other common measures of pollution potential (depth of water, hydrology, topography, net recharge soil media) was not correlated with coliforms and E. coli contamination. Importantly, the presence of the pathogen E. coli O157:H7 was not associated with the presence of fecal indicators in the water samples: Only one of the seven E. coli O157-positive samples was also positive for generic E. coli. Appropriate risk management and communication processes are needed to reduce the potential waterborne disease outbreaks in agricultural intensive areas.

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Multiply inch (in.) foot (ft) square mile (mi2) square mile (mi2) cubic foot per second (ft /s) O f\ cubic foot per second per square mile ([ft /s]/mi) foot per mile (ft/mi) by Length 2.54 0.3048 Area 259 2.590 Flow 0.02832 0.01093 0.1894 To obtain centimeter meter hectare square kilometer cubic meter per second cubic meter per second per square kilometer meter per kilometer Sea level: In this report, "sea level" refers to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD of 1929) a geodetic datum derived from a general adjustment of the first-order level nets of the United States and Canada, formerly called Sea Level Datum of 1929. Temperature: Temperature is given in degrees Fahrenheit (°F), which can be converted to degrees Celsius (°C) as follows:°C = 5/9 (°F-32).

for their assistance in project planning and execution. Thanks also to Amanda Bell (USGS Hydrologist) and Billy Justus for technical review of this report.At the time of publication, macroinvertebrate and habitat data for stream sites considered to be least disturbed by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), including Lukfapa Creek, were not available in a published format and were obtained upon request from the MDEQ Office of Pollution Control.