Where are Fecal Matter Concentrations the Highest along Emigration Creek? By Jessika Hilton, Chad Rinderknecht, Sarah Wong and Jeanette Moses

Introduction Where along Emigration Creek are concentrations of fecal matter the highest? –Emigration Creek is polluted with a number of non-point sources. –Samples from three different sites along the creek: Ruth’s Diner, Hogle Zoo and Westminster College

Hypothesis Fecal matter concentrations would be the highest near Ruth’s Diner because of the leaking septic systems of older homes in that area. –In 1996 Salt Lake County noted “the City has refused sewer line access because Emigration Canyon is not within city boundaries.”

Methods Set of three water samples taken from three locations on three different days –Ruth’s Diner, Hogle Zoo and Westminster –11/6, 11/13 and 11/18 –Place 1mL of sample water on grow plates Planned to plate our water samples on grow plates that would only grow gram negative bacteria. However, there was a problem.

First data set was plated on manitol salt––which is only capable of growing gram positive bacteria. Our next two sets of samples were plated on triptic soy broth, which has the ability to grown gram positive and gram negative bacteria.

After all of our samples were collected, plated and observed we compared the number of cultures grown on our first set to the number of cultures grown on our second and third set.

Data

Results Increase in the amount of bacteria cultures grown at Ruth’s Diner and Zoo in samples two and three. Westminster’s bacteria cultures stayed relatively the same throughout all three sample sets.

Conclusions Amount of gram negative bacteria is higher by Ruth’s and the Zoo then by Westminster. Amount of gram positive bacteria is found in higher concentrations by Westminster.

Conclusions Data is not sufficient to indicate whether fecal matter concentrations are indeed higher near Ruth’s Diner. –Seems to indicate that there is a higher abundance of gram negative bacteria by Ruth’s Diner and Hogle Zoo then by Westminster. We can’t assume that these high levels of gram negative bacteria were E-coli.

Further Studies Determine if the higher concentrations of gram negative bacteria by Ruth’s and the Zoo are from fecal matter. Test water samples on grow plates that only grow E-coli cultures.