A spatial, multivariable approach for identifying proximate sources of Escherichia coli to Maumee Bay, Lake Erie, Ohio

Francy, Donna S.; Struffolino, Pamela; Brady, Amie M.G.; Dwyer, Daryl F.

doi:10.3133/ofr20051386

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 10 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Sample and well replicate concentrations were averaged, with a value of half the detection limit (0.5 cfu/100 mL) substituted to include nondetect data. Since the data were not normally distributed, the Wilcoxon nonparametric rank sum test was used to assess significant differences in E. coli concentrations grouped by site and season (Helsel and Hirsch 2002; Francy et al 2005).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contrasting Influence of Geology on E. coli and Arsenic in Aquifers of Bangladesh

et al. 2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Arsenic in groundwater has been a concern in South and Southeast Asia for more than a decade. We explore here the possibility that hydrogeologic factors recently shown to influence the distribution of arsenic might also affect the level of contamination of shallow (<20 m) wells with microbial pathogens. A total of 96 shallow tube wells in two nearby villages of Bangladesh were surveyed during the wet and dry seasons, along with 55 deeper wells in neighboring villages. One of the two villages is located in a particularly sandy environment where recharge is rapid and shallow wells contain little arsenic. Shallow aquifers in the other village are capped with an impermeable clay layer, recharge is an order of magnitude slower, and arsenic levels are high. The fecal indicator E. coli was detected in 43% of shallow wells, compared with 12% of deeper wells. More shallow wells contained E. coli during the wet season (61%) than during the dry season (9%). In the wet season, a higher proportion of shallow wells in the village with low arsenic levels (72%) contained E. coli compared with the village having high arsenic levels (43%). Differences in arsenic and E. coli distributions between the two sites are likely due to the differences in permeability of near-surface sediments although differences in average well-depth between the two villages (9 ± 4 vs. 15 ± 3 m) may play a role as well. Hydrogeologic conditions that favor high levels of fecal contamination but low levels of arsenic in shallow groundwater should be taken into account during arsenic mitigation throughout South and Southeast Asia.

show abstract

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contrasting Influence of Geology on E. coli and Arsenic in Aquifers of Bangladesh

et al. 2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The innate spatial and temporal variability of E. coli coupled with the dynamic lake environment including lake currents, weather, and other natural processes further complicate investigations, making it difficult to pinpoint and address fecal pollution sources using only single methods. The combination of multiple lines of evidence is critical, requiring the application of intensive water sampling, microbial source tracking (MST), and sometimes the development of statistical, hydrodynamic, and transport models (Francy and Darner, ; Francy et al ., , ). Of these lines of evidence, MST is the most novel and potentially useful tool in determining the source host(s), or origin, of fecal contamination.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Persistence and Microbial Source Tracking of Escherichia coli at a Swimming Beach at Lake of the Ozarks State Park, Missouri

Wilson

Schumacher

Burken

2016

J American Water Resour Assoc

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) has closed or posted advisories at public beaches at Lake of the Ozarks State Park in Missouri because of Escherichia coli (E. coli) concentration exceedances in recent years. Spatial and temporal patterns of E. coli concentrations, microbial source tracking, novel sampling techniques, and beach-use patterns were studied during the 2012 recreational season to identify possible sources, origins, and occurrence of E. coli contamination at Grand Glaize Beach (GGB). Results indicate an important source of E. coli contamination at GGB was E. coli released into the water column by bathers resuspending avian-contaminated sediments, especially during high-use days early in the recreational season. Escherichia coli concentrations in water, sediment, and resuspended sediment samples all decreased throughout the recreational season likely because of decreasing lake levels resulting in sampling locations receding away from the initial spring shoreline as well as natural decay and physical transport out of the cove. Weekly MDNR beach monitoring, based solely on E. coli concentrations, at GGB during this study inaccurately predicted E. coli exceedances, especially on weekends and holidays. Interestingly, E. coli of human origin were measured at concentrations indicative of raw sewage in runoff from an excavation of a nearby abandoned septic tank that had not been used for nearly two years.

show abstract

“…Since 2000, swim advisories for E. coli average 20-100 days per year, which contributed to an attendance decrease from 240,000 to 110,000 annual visitors to the Park. Lake Erie Center researchers (1) worked to identify the source of the E. coli contamination [40], (2) estimated that eliminating beach closings would increase the annual visitation of Maumee Bay State Park by over 52,000 total trips resulting in benefits to beach visitors of $6.2 million annually versus a preliminary restoration one-time cost of $1.8 million [41], highlighting the importance of using bacterial count analysis and quantifying too-often ignored ecosystem services, (3) coordinated a regional committee to develop a course of action, (4) developed an engineering solution that is economically viable and that will reduce the amount of E. coli and nutrients entering Maumee Bay and (5) constructed an artificial wetland in the Park. The constructed wetland is providing native habitat supporting macroinvertebrate and fish communities ( Fig.…”

Section: ) Habitat Loss and Wetlandsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing Environmental Sustainability Through A University Field Station

Stepien¹,

Calzonetti²,

Bossenbroek³

et al. 2017

Sustainability Practice and Education on University Campuses and Beyond

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

University field stations are located off site from the main campuses and frequently in a natural setting, providing opportunity for students, faculty, and the public to engage with-and appreciate-local ecosystems. Their missions usually encompass the three cornerstones of environmental research, education, and outreach/community engagement, which go hand-in-hand with understanding and furthering sustainability. University field stations enhance environmental sustainability by helping to preserve a natural setting for coming generations, fostering research and monitoring of local ecosystems and their component biodiversity, and training the next generation and citizen scientists for field and laboratory work. Here we provide an example of how we are addressing sustainability through growth of the Lake Erie Center, a mid-sized university center with modest funding and staff that is located at the heart of land-water issues of runoff, sedimentation, algal blooms, legacy contaminants, and habitat loss facing the world's largest freshwater ecosystem. We have networked our mission by building an Environmental Science Learning Community, which brings together faculty, students, educators, agencies, stakeholders, and the public to work towards the common goal of improving land-lake ecosystem services. This background has allowed us to rapidly respond to the August 2014 "Toledo Water Crisis" in which the Lake Erie water supply to 500,000 local citizens was contaminated by the algal toxin microcystin, resulting in a "do not drink" health advisory. The Lake Erie Center's strategic location, both geographically and scientifically, has enhanced our effective education, research, and community engagement programs.

show abstract

A spatial, multivariable approach for identifying proximate sources of Escherichia coli to Maumee Bay, Lake Erie, Ohio

Cited by 6 publications

References 10 publications

Contrasting Influence of Geology on E. coli and Arsenic in Aquifers of Bangladesh

Contrasting Influence of Geology on E. coli and Arsenic in Aquifers of Bangladesh

Persistence and Microbial Source Tracking of Escherichia coli at a Swimming Beach at Lake of the Ozarks State Park, Missouri

Enhancing Environmental Sustainability Through A University Field Station

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About