FecesAssociated Bacterial Contamination of the Dry Creek Watershed

1
Feces-Associated Bacterial Contamination of the
Dry Creek Watershed Dr. Geoffrey W. Gearner and
the Fall 2007 Class of the Principles of
Microbiology Morehead State University

• Introduction
• Fecal contamination (human and animal waste)
  comes from native wildlife, domesticated
  animals, and humans.
• Sources include straight pipes, failed
  household septic systems, and farmland run off of
  animal waste.
• The amount of certain bacteria that are
  associated with the feces of mammals, birds, and
  humans can be measured from water samples
  collected from Dry Creek.
• At present, we test for fecal coliform,
  Escherichia coli (E. coli), and fecal enterococci
  (streptococci) bacteria.

• Results
• In the present study, we evaluated bacterial
  densities in eight locations along the Dry Creek
  watershed over a 30-day period. The results will
  be used to establish a baseline database, and to
  refine our identification of sampling sites, and
  to help determine the sources of fecal
  contamination.
• All bacterial counts varied over the range of the
  sampling sites and over time (Fig. 4).
• The highest counts observed followed a
  significant rain event on 23-24 October 2007.
• Fecal coliform to fecal streptococci
  (enterococci) indicate that the possible source
  of fecal contamination is animal (FCFS a mix of animal and human
  (FCFS 0.7 4.0).
• Analysis of the data show that none of the
  sampling sites in the watershed exceeded State or
  EPA standards for primary contact recreational
  water for fecal coliform bacteria, however, one
  of the sites (Nichols Branch) did exceed EPA and
  State standards for E. coli (Fig. 5).
• Five of eight sites sample exceeded EPA standards
  for fecal enterococci bacteria.

Discussion The monitoring of fecal-associated
bacteria in the Triplett Creek watershed,
including the Dry Creek basin, has been an
ongoing project at Morehead State University.
The development of improved methods for detecting
and enumerating these microbes have provided us
with a better picture on the sources of fecal
contamination our watersheds. The preliminary
results of our water sampling indicate that
current practices in the Dry Creek watershed is
causing fecal contamination to reach our
waterways . The Commonwealth of Kentucky has
designated Dry Creek as an impaired stream,
having been placed on the Second Priority 303b
list. Continued bacterial monitoring will assist
with the identification of possible sources of
fecal contamination. The development of a
watershed-based plan will address contamination
issues and gauge the effectiveness of remediation
efforts. The overall goal of the watershed-based
plan is the removal of Dry Creek from the
impaired streams list.
Figure 1. Examples of bacteria grown in the lab
from water samples.

Recent Bacterial counts in Dry Creek sites, Fall
2007
Dc-06
Dc-05
Dc-04
Note The bacterial counts highlighted in RED
have exceeded water standards.
Figure 2. Map of the bacterial sampling sites in
the Dry Creek watershed. Legend Co-01Catron1
Co-02Catron2 Co-03Jennings
Septic Dc-02Lambert Branch Sr-01Amanda
Bridge Dc-04Nichols Bridge Dc-05Ravenswood
Bridge Dc-06Tile Storage Road.
Contacts Katie Holmes, Watershed Program
Director April Haight Kentucky Waterways
Alliance MSUs Center for Environmental
Education 222 Bakery Square LC 101A,
IRAPP Louisville, KY 40206 Morehead, KY
40351 [phone] [phone]
This project is funded by non-point source
pollution grant by the Federal Environmental
Protection Agency, Kentucky Waterways Alliance,
and Morehead State University