Bonner Gala Spring 2009

SML Water Quality Mission The mission of the Smith Mountain Lake Water Quality Program is to ensure that all potable drinking water is safe and secure within the lake. There are various recreational sites, camps, and homes located on this lake and everyone’s security is of the utmost importance.

Summer of Service Overview I worked as a Water Quality Technician for the Smith Mountain Lake Water Quality Association and Ferrum College. At the beginning of the summer, I utilized my Bonner training to help train and inform 50 volunteers how to properly use equipment.

Regional Connection Smith Mountain Lake reaches three different counties, Bedford, Franklin, and Pittsylvania, within Southwestern Virginia. The water we tested affects all different communities, including a 4-H camp in Franklin County. Volunteers from all over these counties contribute countless hours each summer to this program.

Community Connection The most amazing aspect of this project is that everyone, with the exception of the technicians, are all volunteers in the community. A need to see water improvement has actually brought about change over the past 23 years. The program reports directly to the Virginia Department of Health.

S.O.S Overview Bi-weekly water sample pick-ups from the monitors houses. This is where interaction would occur and the water’s condition would be discussed. There were Bi-weekly sample testing's for E. coli and Fecal Coli forms.

Tributary Testing In June and August there were tributary water sample pick-ups and these samples were tested for antibiotic resistance.

Jessica Lucas Summer 2008 Natural Sciences and Mathematics Presentation

Escherichia coli Escherichia coli or E. coli is a type of fecal coliform bacteria that is primarily found in the intestines of both humans and animals. Therefore, E. coli are found in the waste of humans and animals. E. coli can make its way into water sources by rainfall, snow melting, or any other type of precipitation. If the water source is left untreated humans may consume E. coli. Smith Mountain lake is a recreational use water body and is used in some cases as a potable water supply.

Escherichia coli We were collecting and evaluating water samples from Smith Mountain Lake this summer (2008) Many E. coli strains are harmless and live in the intestines normally. The E. coli O157:H7 strain is one that can cause severe illness to humans. Symptoms of infection due to E. coli O157:H7 are Abdominal cramps Non- bloody diarrhea Hemolytic uremic syndrome* * Only in rare cases

Determination of E. coli Purpose- To determine if E. coli and total coliforms are present in the water samples obtained. The method used is Colilert™.

Total Coliforms Total coliforms are simply bacteria associated with animal or human waste. The wells turn a light to bright yellow when total coliforms are present.

E. coli The wells fluoresce under UV light when E.coli is present.

E.coli For drinking water Virginia does not allow any E.coli to be present after treatment. The Commonwealth of Virginia standard for recreational/potable water is 126 MPN E. coli per 100 mL of water. Due to warm-blooded animals such as ducks and beavers, it is very unlikely that SML will have zero E. coli without being treated first.

E. coli Currently the bacteria counts have provided optimistic ??results. There have been no samples that surpassed the state’s legal limit. However, Smith Mountain Lake Yacht Club and Ponderosa Campground should continue to be monitored closely due to higher levels of E. coli found this summer (2008).

ARA Antibiotic Resistant Assay Purpose- To determine if any fecal matter is present in the water samples, and if so what the source of the matter is. Also, it determines which bacteria have resistance to the antibiotics we tested.

Antibiotics Used Amoxicillin – AMX Cephalothin- CEP Chlortetracycline – CTC Erythromycin – ERY Oxytetracycline – OTC Neomycin – NEO Streptomycin – STR Tetracycline – TET Vancomycin - VAN

ARA The June 2008 ARA data has been compiled and assessed. The results show that the main sources of fecal matter are livestock and wildlife. There were very few traces of human and domestic fecal matter present.

Bedford County Tribs June 2008 Count Row % DomesticHumanLivestckWildlife Domestic Human Livestck T T T T T T T Wildlife

Bedford County Tribs Current Percentages for Bedford County Tribs: Domestic : 8.5 % Human : 22.7 % Wildlife : 25.7 % Livestock: 43.1 %

Questions