1. BacteriALERT: A Program for Monitoring and Real-time Estimation of Indicator Bacteria By Stephen J. Lawrence, Atlanta, Georgia

2. Background • The project is an outgrowth of the Georgia Governor’s Green Space Initiative and former Vice President Al Gore’s Livable Communities Initiative • National Park Service wanted a means to notify the public when indicator bacteria in the Chattahoochee River exceeded the USEPA criteria

3. Partnerships • Partnerships include Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Georgia Conservancy, Georgia EPD, National Park Service, and USGS

4. Purpose and Scope • Monitor total coliform and E. coli bacteria levels daily at three sites on the Chattahoochee River • Provide easily accessible results to the public within 24 hours of sample collection • Monitor turbidity in real-time and estimate average E. coli concentration at two sites

5. Study Area • Currently limited to the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

6. Sample Collection Methods • Samples are collected by employees from the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (an NGO) and the National Park Service

7. Sample Collection • Weighted sterile bottle • Centroid of flow • Water column from surface to near bottom • Sample is placed on ice and transported to USGS office

8. Bacteria Analysis • Colilert Method by IDEXX Corp. • Enzyme substrate using multiple cells (wells) • Similar to the older Multiple-tube Method • Uses statistical tables to determine most probable number of colony forming units • Provides results in 18-20 hours

9. Bacteria Analysis—Flow chart

10. Bacteria Analysis • Under visible light, cells are yellow in the presence of total coliform bacteria • Under UV light, cells fluoresce blue-green in the presence of E. coli bacteria

11. Quality Control Measures • Ensure that the bacteria counts represent what is in the river • Cleanliness and sterility during sample collection and processing • Cleanliness and sterility of bottles and utensils • Ability to track potential points of contamination • Compare with other methods

12. Quality Control Measures—Cleanliness and sterility? • Collectors and analysts wear latex or nitrile gloves • Sample bottles and utensils are either used once and disposed or sterilized

13. Quality Control Measures—Track potential contamination • Lots of sterile water are produced and analyzed for bacteria • Each reagent lot is tested for bacteria • Sterile bottles are tested for bacteria

14. Quality Control measures—Compare with other methods • Total coliform, fecal coliform, and E. coli bacteria are also analyzed by membrane filtration m-coliblue24 broth m-FC agar

15. RESULTS--Comparison of membrane filter and Colilert methods for E. coli

16. Comparison of fecal coliform membrane filtration with E. coli Colilert

17. RESULTS--Relation between indicator bacteria and turbidity

18. Real-time Estimation of E. coliEstimation equations • 12 months of E. coli and turbidity monitoring produced enough data to develop multiple regression equations • Equations use turbidity and streamflow measurements, season, and flow regime (baseflow, stormflow) to estimate E. coli bacteria density • About 81% of the variability in E. coli density is explained by those parameters

19. Real-time Estimation of E. coliRole of continuous monitors • Continuous turbidity is measured using YSI water-quality sondes • These turbidity measurements, streamflow, and current date are plugged into the estimation equations every 15 minutes to give a real-time estimate of E. coli density. • The E. coli estimates are retrieved by a Cold Fusion program and posted to the BacteriALERT Web page

20. Public Awareness: Web Page(url: water.ga.usgs.gov/bacteria)

21. Web Page Links—data tables

22. E-Mail Alert • Each day an email containing the previous day’s bacteria counts is sent to those who have signed up on the web page to receive the notice

23. Public Awareness: National Park Service On-site Signage E. Coli count above 235 cfu/100 mL E. Coli count below 235 cfu/100 mL

24. Public Awareness: Print Media • Several news articles have been written about BacteriALERT

25. Public Awareness-Other • Links to the BacteriALERT web page are found on the web sites and in newsletters of fishing clubs, conservation organizations, canoeing and rafting organizations