Major Watersheds in Alabama

AWW across Alabama Cumulative 1992 - 2015 (cao 3/2015) 79,900 Water Quality Records 64,260 Certified Monitors 2,290 Sites 285 Citizen Groups 40 Active Citizen Trainers 1,890 Workshops AWW Monitoring Sites

AWW Water Monitoring

AWW Education/Outreach

Web of Life The web of life involves the sequence of the transfer of energy and matter from one organism to another in an ecological community.

What are Bacteria? Single-celled organisms Invisible to the naked eye Live almost everywhere in great numbers They are in air, water, soil, and ice. They are even inside us! In fact, we couldn’t properly digest food without them! Without bacteria, plants couldn’t grow, garbage wouldn’t decay, and there would be a lot less oxygen to breathe.

Bacteria and the Human Body About 70% of nurses wearing artificial fingernails had pathogenic bacteria under their nails, after hand washing compared to 26% of nurses with real nails. Nine of ten cell phones are coated with some kind of bacteria, and 1 in 6 cell phones is contaminated with the bacteria E. coli. Armpit skin has more than 500,000 bacteria per square inch. About 10% of the dry weight of a human body is bacteria. About 30 % of all human feces is bacteria.

Why monitor for bacteria?

Waterborne diseases associated with fecal contamination Common Name Type of Organism Site/Symptoms Source(s) Cholera Bacteria Gastrointestinal Water and food Cryptosporidiosis Protozoa Water Dysentery Bacteria, viruses or protozoa E. coli Infection Enterococcal Infection Gastrointestinal, bacteremia meningitis, endocarditis, urinary tract Giardia Intestine Hepatitis A & B Viruses Liver Schistosomiasis Flukes Liver, renal system Typhoid Vibrio cholerae Shigella E. coli Enterococcus Salmonella

Fecal contamination and other waterborne pathogens Although most strains of E. coli are harmless, their presence is indicative of fecal contamination, and hence an increased possibility of the presence of more dangerous organisms. Fecal contamination of water sources is highly prevalent worldwide, accounting for the majority of unsafe drinking water. In developing countries most sewage is discharged without treatment. Even in developed countries events of sanitary sewer overflow are not uncommon. E. coli O157:H7 = pathogenic! Enterococcus urinary tract infections, meningitis Salmonella typhoid Shigella Bacillary dysentery

AWW Bacteriological Monitoring E. coli General coliforms

AWW Monitoring Sites

Richland Creek Trib Hurricane Creek Pea River

Research Project: Examination of bacterial levels in water and sediment for the development of refined monitoring protocols for inland recreational waters

AU Research -2014: Examination of bacterial levels in water and sediment for the development of refined monitoring protocols for inland recreational waters Conclusions: E. coli concentrations were sometimes significantly different when sampling the surface water at different times of the day. Both E. coli and Enterobacteriaceae were present in significantly higher numbers in the sediments than the surface water. Although there was no significant correlation between the number of waterfowl observed at each beach and the concentration of E. coli present in the water, Canada goose feces was found to test positive for Salmonella and high levels of E. coli. GOOD IDEA!

www.theswimguide.org

Public Use Areas in AL Monitored for Bacteria - 2015 Freshwater Sites = 38 Coastal Sites = 25 (ADEM sites) www.adem.state.al.us/programs/coastal/beachMonitoring.cnt

Come see us! Alabama Water Watch 559 Devall Drive Auburn, AL 36849 www.alabamawaterwatch.org Toll Free: 1-888-844-4785 email: info@alabamawaterwatch.org Contacting AWW War Eagle! Saugahatchee at Lee CR 65 Bridge The Auburn University crawdad, found only in the waters flowing through AU campus!