On July 2nd SeVWA (Southeastern Vermont Watershed Alliance) successfully collected water samples from all 26 sites along the West, Williams, and Saxton rivers as well as the Whetstone brook. The E. coli results from our second sampling day of the summer can be found in the attached charts.
When reviewing the results please keep in mind that the samples were collected prior to the rain we just experienced and E. coli levels have a tendency to spike after it rains. This is due to run-off washing into the rivers and carrying animal, pet or human waste. The general rule is to wait 24-48 hours after a rain event before swimming in the rivers to minimize risk of waterborne illnesses.
The holiday weekend is upon us and as families and friends get together to celebrate please remember to care for our natural environment by carrying out all trash brought to the shores of our rivers. Keeping litter out of our waterways reduces the buildup of toxic chemicals in the aquatic food web. We can all do our part everyday, but if anyone is interested in doing more and would like to participate in the Connecticut River Watershed Council’s (CRWC) Source to Sea Cleanup they would greatly appreciate the help. More information can be found on their website at www.ctriver.org.
Please post the attached E. coli results charts in your communities where swimmers will see them. If you have a local news publication also submit the chart and this commentary to them for posting/publishing and provide to your town’s conservation commission.E. coli results and accompanying commentaries will appear at www.ibrattleboro.com (Nature section) every 2 weeks throughout the monitoring season.
For more information about SeVWA’s monitoring program and other Connecticut River watershed water quality and recreational information, please visit www.ctriver.us.This information is provided by SeVWA Water Quality Monitoring Program (sevwa.volunteer@gmail.com)SeVWA website – https://sites.google.com/site/vtsevwa/
