USGS Ohio Water Science Center

5/9/2008 – The Ohio Nowcast will run from May 19 through Labor Day in 2008. The Nowcast provides near real-time estimates of recreational water-quality conditions at two Lake Erie beaches—Huntington (Bay Village) and Edgewater (Cleveland). The Nowcast is provided by 9:30 a.m. 7 days/week by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health and Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District. Visit the Nowcast at www.ohionowcast.info.

4/11/2008 – On April 11, USGS scientists Rebecca Bushon, Amie Brady, Chris Kephart, and Don Stoeckel hosted and presented a hands-on microbiology workshop to 20 students from nine states. Workshop attendees learned about microbial sample collection, analytical methods and techniques, recreational water regulations, rapid-detection methods, and microbial source tracking. The Environmental Pathogens Information Network (EPI-Net, www.epi-net.org ) with Purdue University sponsored the workshop.

2/1/2008 – Scientists with the USGS Ohio Water Science Center will begin working on a project investigating the removal efficiencies of microorganisms by membrane bioreactor (MBR) wastewater treatment plants in Ohio. The removal of microorganisms by conventional activated sludge plants will also be determined and compared to those of MBR plants. The 3-year project is in cooperation with City of Delphos, Ohio Water Development Authority, and CT Consultants.

1/18/2008 – Rebecca Bushon and Donna Francy presented information at the Ohio Lake Erie Beach Conference, hosted by Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District in Cuyahoga Heights, Ohio on January 18. Their talk was on using rapid methods and predictive models at Lake Erie beaches. The two rapid methods described were a molecular method, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR), and a cell-surface recognition method, immunomagnetic separation/adenosine triphosphate (IMS/ATP).

10/15/2007 – Donna Francy presented information on the use of predictive models to provide a nowcast of bacterial levels at Great Lakes Beaches on October 10 at the Beaches World Tour 2007 in Toronto, Ontario. The Conference was an international conference on best practices and key issues at beaches around the world, and highlighted the international Blue Flag program. The Blue Flag is an eco-certification program for beaches and marinas.

10/8/2007 – Scientists with the USGS Ohio Water Science Center have been awarded a Lake Erie Protection Fund grant to test the use of new microbial source tracking (MST) technologies to identify sources of fecal contamination in the Portage River Watershed of northwestern Ohio. Possible fecal sources include discharges from home septic systems and small wastewater treatment plants, runoff from small- and large-scale livestock operations, and pet and wildlife feces. Collaborators on the project are Bowling Green State University and the Wood County Health Department. More information is available in a recent News Release.

10/5/2007 – USGS scientist, Rebecca Bushon, presented information on rapid microbial detection methods at an EPI-Net Workshop on September 14 in Chicago, IL. Information included a review of standard public health microbiology, along with rapid methods such as quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and immunomagnetic separation/adenosine triphosphate (IMS/ATP). These methods are used to provide rapid assessments of concentrations of bacterial indicators in recreational waters.

7/23/2007 – A recent article by Erin Bertke, published in the Journal of Great Lakes Research, reported on the use of composite analysis for E. coli at coastal beaches. In this article, it was reported that composited samples yielded similar measures of recreational water quality as the arithmetic average of multiple-point samples. Composite samples were formed by combining equal aliquots of well-mixed water from each point sample, and then analyzing the composite for concentrations of E. coli. The full article can be accessed by subscribers or by contacting the author at eebertke@usgs.gov.

7/2/2007 – USGS scientists, in partnership with the National Park Service, recently published an article in Park Science on the use of a rapid method for measuring fecal-indicator bacteria concentrations. Scientists tested a rapid method, based on immunomagnetic separation (IMS) and detection of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), with samples collected at three sites in the Cuyahoga River in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio. They concluded that the IMS/ATP method could be used as an alternative to the conventional plating method for determining E. coli concentrations at some sites. Click to obtain full report.

6/12/2007 – Scientists Rebecca Bushon and Amie Brady were filmed by Larry Hott of Florentine Films while analyzing bacteria concentrations in the Cuyahoga River basin in northeastern Ohio for a documentary about a dead river coming back to life. The Cuyahoga River caught fire in 1969 and drew the country's attention to the pollution of America's natural resources. Frequently cited as a restoration success story, the Cuyahoga River is currently being monitored for Escherichia coli (E. coli) levels by the USGS and Cuyahoga Valley National Park Service. The film titled, Return of the Cuyahoga, is scheduled to air on Public Broadcast Stations in the summer of 2008.

6/1/2007 – With the summer field season beginning, the USGS started collecting data with local agencies to address recreational-water monitoring and research issues. The USGS and Cuyahoga County Board of Health (CCBH) began the “nowcast” of beach advisories at Huntington (Bay Village) on May 21. Also this summer, a predictive model for posting beach advisories is being tested at Lakeshore Park (Ashtabula) in cooperation with the Ashtabula Township Park Commission. A turbidity-based warning system is being evaluated for use at Cuyahoga River recreational sites in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in cooperation with the National Park System. And finally, USGS scientists are testing rapid methods to determine E. coli concentrations at Edgewater, Villa Angela, and Huntington in cooperation with the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District and CCBH.

4/12/2007 – The USGS Ohio Water Microbiology Laboratory will be participating in an epidemiological study of swimming-related illness at Doheny State Beach in California this summer. New microbiological indicators and rapid methods will be tested. The OWML will be testing an immunomagnetic separation/adenosine triphosphate (IMS/ATP) method for E. coli and enterococci, which can provide quantitative results in approximately one hour. Rebecca Bushon and Christina Likirdopulos will be initiating the method evaluation study April 18-19, 2007 in California.

4/5/2007 – The USGS participated in an Experts Scientific Workshop on Critical Research and Science Needs for the Development of Recreational Water Quality Criteria, held in Warrenton, Virginia, March 26-30, 2007. Donna Francy, from the OWML, served in the workgroup assigned to evaluate “Modeling Applications to Bacteria Criteria Development and Implementation.” Recommendations from the workshop will be used to guide USEPA research activities on criteria development over the next 2-3 years.

OWML: Past News