Murrells Inlet Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program April 19, 2011

Dona Ducker, left, and Jeanne Weinreich use test strips to measure the amount of ammonia and nitrogen in a water sample of from a creek at the south end of U.S. 17 Business in Murrells Inlet.

Dona Ducker, left, and Jeanne Weinreich collect samples of water from a creek at the south end of U.S. 17 Business in Murrells Inlet. They test the sample for such things as acidity, dissolved solids, and chemicals and record the results.

Jeanne Weinreich dips out a sample of water from a creek at the south end of U.S. 17 Business in Murrells Inlet

Jeanne Weinreich, left, reads a test meters' results to Dona Ducker who records them in a field notebook. They were taking a sample of water from a creek at the south end of U.S. 17 Business in Murrells Inlet

Samplers use meters that can measure such things as temperature, salinity, and dissolved solids in water samples.

Dona Ducker wades out to collects an undisturbed sample of water from Murrells Inlet near Huntington Beach State Park.

Inlet Water Monitors Rank High in State Water quality levels get high-tech, routine monitoring attention by the Murrells Inlet 2020 volunteers led by Coastal Carolina University advisers. This effort, recognized as one of the most advanced projects for volunteer monitors in South Carolina, is expected to help local government address minimum regulation requirements. This high ranking for local monitors was revealed by Ken Hayes of CCU, who is the volunteer monitoring coordinator, assisting Murrells Inlet 2020 Field Leader Jim Wilkie and volunteers who do regular sampling at eight locations. These are Woodland Dr. and Channel Lane; Point Dr. at the GSWSA Lift station; Mt. Gilead at Kim Foxworth’s house; Marina Colony pond; creek at Harrelson’s Seafood sign; creek at Boat House Run; creek at the Murrells Inlet Bike Bridge, and Oyster Landing in Huntington Beach State Park. Hayes also assists Christine Ellis, the Waccamaw Riverkeeper, and her activities nearby can found at The Waccamaw Riverkeeper is a program of the Winyah Rivers Foundation, CCU, Center for Marine and Wetland Studies at 1270 Atlantic Ave. in Conway. A year and a half ago, the community improvement organization initiated conversations with CCU, Georgetown County, Horry County and Surfside Beach to strategize the implementation of a water monitoring program for the inlet. During that same time, the municipalities finalized requirements of the federally-mandated stormwater management regulations. The Inlet water testing program includes such parameter as temperature, salinity, Ph levels, total dissolved solids (TDS), bacteria, ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, conductivity, dissolved oxygen and turbidity. The Murrells Inlet Volunteer Monitoring Project includes paperwork-reporting procedures with Coastal Carolina University in cooperation with Georgetown County, Horry County and Surfside Beach. Volunteers were trained to use special monitoring kits, and Dr. Susan Libes helped in the initial reconnaissance survey of the eight sampling sights. MI Project Director Libes is professor of Marine Chemistry at CCU Departments of Marine Science and Chemistry, working on aquatic and marine pollution and groundwater geochemistry. Lloyd Mackall, Public Relations and Digital Imagery Based in Wachesaw East Plantation, 9 Palmetto Place, Murrells Inlet, SC

Doing water sampling at the creek adjacent to Harrelson’s Seafood sign on Highway 17 Business are Gary O’Loughlin and Mike Putts.

Discussing the early morning monitoring are, from left, Dona Ducker, Jeanne Weinreich, Mike Putts and Ken Hayes, volunteer monitoring coordinator from Coastal Carolina University who took part in Murrells Inlet Volunteer Monitoring Project for Murrells Inlet 2020 doing regular sampling at eight locations. Jim Wilkie is field leader for the MI volunteers.

The Inlet water testing program includes such parameter as temperature, salinity, pH levels, total dissolved solids (TDS), bacteria, ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, conductivity, dissolved oxygen and turbidity.

A color chart gives a quick reading of the level of nitrates volunteers Gary O’Loughlin and Mike Putts find in water at their two sampling locations, the creeks at Harrelson’s Seafood sign and Boat House Run. The color indicates elevated levels of nitrates is not a factor in this sample.

Long pole helps Master Sampler Mike Putts fill his water collection bottle at the creek adjacent to Harrelson’s Seafood sign on Highway 17 Business, Murrells Inlet. Putts also picked up a plastic bag found floating at this location.

Spring Tide 2011

What to do when approached by the public? Brochures and any other handouts. Explain to them what you are doing. You don’t have to explain the science. That what the websites for. Share with them your own personal experience with the program. Rewarding, a sense of accomplishment, actively giving back to YOUR community?

Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program Murrells Inlet: April 19, 2011 Sediment Bacteria Source Tracing

Single Sample EPA Water Quality Standards for recreational contact: 235 to 575 CFU/100 mL Median values shown for n =

Recommended indicators, enterococci and E. coli, as superior to fecal coliform, for freshwaters Based on positive relationship between bacterial density and number of observed illnesses for both indicators, while no such relationship was observed for fecal coliforms. Recommended indicators, enterococci and E. coli, as superior to fecal coliform, for freshwaters Based on positive relationship between bacterial density and number of observed illnesses for both indicators, while no such relationship was observed for fecal coliforms.

Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2000 SEC. 3. REVISIONS TO WATER QUALITY CRITERIA. (b) REVISED CRITERIA.—Section 304(a) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1314(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following: (9) REVISED CRITERIA FOR COASTAL RECREATION WATERS.— (A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 5 years after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, after consultation and in cooperation with appropriate Federal, State, tribal, and local officials (including local health officials), the Administrator shall publish new or revised water quality criteria for pathogens and pathogen indicators (including a revised list of testing methods, as appropriate) …. for the purpose of protecting human health in coastal recreation waters. Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) lawsuit settled 2008 New/revised recreational standards to be promulgated by 2012 Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) lawsuit settled 2008 New/revised recreational standards to be promulgated by 2012

Better relationship to illness Quicker Source specific Critical Path Science Plan (2007) – high priority research

Illness threatHost animal sourceGeographic source Need to Know

Why Use Sediment Bacteria for Geographic Source Tracking? SC DHEC results showed highly variable fecal coliform contamination Sediments are known to harbor fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) Hypothesis – Track geographic source by looking upstream to the upper limit of FIB contamination Other goals of sediment project – Methods development – best extraction technique – Check on temporal variability of sediment contamination

Sampling Sites

Shaking versus sonication Sand/clay Replicate natural bacteria adhesion to particles

Micrology Easygel Plus Media for E. coli and Total coliforms

100 m from Wastewater Treatment Plant

Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program Murrells Inlet: April 19, 2011 Development of Site Specific Water Quality Standards Updates to Data Management

Reporting Protocol SMS4 stormwater managers Illicit Discharge enforcementReport to SC DHEC/OCRM Field Leader & CCU Project Director Consultation report Volunteer monitoring coordinator Compiles report report Volunteers measure water quality WQS is contravenedIllicit discharge is observed

Graphs and Stats

Upgraded Remote Data Entry Volunteer participation

Q&A

Feedback and Recap Updated sampling activities Sampling platforms Sampling site signage

Boat House Run Sampling Platform