Browse > Article

Fecal Coliform Bacteria Loading from the Polecat Creek Watershed in Virginia, USA  

Mostaghimi, Saied (Biological Systems Engineering Department Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State Univ)
Im, Sang-Jun (Water Resources Research Department KICT)
Publication Information
Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment / v.37, no.1, 2004 , pp. 106-111 More about this Journal
Abstract
Fecal coliform bacteria is one of the most common cause of water quality impairments in Virginia, USA. Instream concentrations of fecal coliform (FC) bacteria were routinely monitored to assess surface water quality of the Polecat Creek watershed. Median concentration in water samples collected from 1995 to 2000 ranged from 80 cfu/100 mL to t 70 cfu/100 mL, while geometric mean concentrations ranged from 81 cfu/100 mL to 141 cfu/100 mL. The dilution and deposition by Lake Caroline may cause to lower FC concentration at monitoring site QPB, as compared FC concentration at QPD. Higher in-stream FC concentration occurred during the summer period(June-August), and lower concentration typically occurred during the winter period (December-February). This is due to more cattle in streams, and greater survival and regrowth of FC bacteria under warmer condition. The findings of this study can be helpful in planning the water quality monitoring program to avoid the inaccurate assessment of water quality due to the timing of sample collection.
Keywords
fecal coliform; bacteria contamination; geometric mean; seasonal variability;
Citations & Related Records
연도 인용수 순위
  • Reference
1 US Census Bureau. 2000. Census 2000 Data for the State of Virginia, Available at http://www.census.gov/(accessed June 2003)
2 APHA, AWWA, WEF. 1998. Microbiological Exami-nation. In: Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 20th Ed., American Public Health Association, Washington D.C
3 Edwards, D.R., M.S. Coyne, T.C. Daniel, P.F. Vendrell, J.F. Murdoch and P.A. Moore. 1997. Indica-tor Bacteria Concentrations of Two Northwest Arkansas Streams in Relation to Flow and Sea-son. Trans. ASAE 40(1): 103-109
4 Mostaghimi, S., J. Wynn and J. Car. 2001. The Pole-cat Creek Watershed Water Quality Monitoring Project, Report No. PC0902, Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Department, Richmond, VA
5 Howell, J.M., M.S. Coyne and P.L. Cornelius. 1995. Fecal Bacteria in Agricultural Waters of the Blue-grass Region of Kentucky. J. Environ. Qual. 24(3):411-419
6 Valiela, I., M. Alber and M. LaMontagne. 1991. Fecal Coliform Loadings and Stocks in Buttermilk Bay, Massachusetts, USA, and Management Implica-tions. Environmental Management 12(5): 659-674
7 Socolofsky, S.A. 1997. Hydrologic and Bacteria Mod-eling of the Upper Charles River Watershed using HSPF, M.S. Thesis, MIT
8 VaDEQ. 2002. 303 (d) Report on Impaired Water, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality: Richmond, VA, 2002
9 Baxter-Potter, W.R. and M.W. Gilliland. 1988. Bac-terial Pollution in Runoff from Agricultural Lands. J. Environ. Qual. 17: 27-34
10 Niemi, R.M. and J.S. Niemi. 1991. Bacteria Pollution of Waters in Pristine and Agricultural Lands. J. Environ. Qual. 20: 620-627
11 SWCB. 2003. Water Quality Standards, Statutory Authority: $\S$62.1-44.15 (3a) of the Code of Virginia. Effective date: January 15, 2003, State Water Control Board, Richmond, VA., Available at http://www.deq.state.va.us/wqs/(accessed June 2003)