Storm water events in a small agricultural watershed: Characterization and evaluation of improvements in stream water microbiology following implementation of Best Management Practices

Both storm water event and nonevent flow contributed to the annual discharge from Graywood Gully, a small sub-watershed of Conesus Lake, New York USA, whose land use is 74% agriculture. While events contributed significant amounts of water in short periods of time, nonevents accounted for the majority of water on a yearly basis and could have flow rates matching those that occurred during events. Event storm water was elevated in materials associated with particulates such as total suspended solids, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, and total phosphorus. Water from high flow nonevents was elevated in soluble components such as sodium, nitrate, and soluble reactive phosphorus. As a result, events contributed the majority of particulates to the yearly loading from Graywood Gully whereas nonevents contributed the majority of soluble materials. The levels of total coliforms, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus, and total heterotrophic bacteria were elevated in storm water relative to nonevent flow, indicating that they acted as particulates. The median level of E. coli in nonevents was 200 CFU/100 mL whereas the median level during events was 3660 CFU/100 mL. Consequently, storm events accounted for 92% of all E. coli loading from Graywood Gully. Best Management Practices (BMPs) resulted in the mean, median, maximum and minimum levels of event-driven E. coli loading from Graywood Gully to decrease 10 fold over a 5-year period. The implementation of BMPs in the Graywood Gully watershed has improved the microbiology of event waters and consequently decreased the role that the watershed plays as a contributor of microbial pollution to Conesus Lake.     

The impact of agricultural best management practices on downstream systems: Soil loss and nutrient chemistry and flux to Conesus Lake,New York,USA

Six small, predominantly agricultural (> 70%) watersheds in the Conesus Lake catchment of New York State, USA, were selected to test the impact of Best Management Practices (BMPs) on mitigation of nonpoint nutrient sources and soil loss from farms to downstream aquatic systems. Over a 5-year period, intensive stream water monitoring and analysis of covariance provided estimates of marginal means of concentration and loading for each year weighted by covariate discharge. Significant reductions in total phosphorus, soluble reactive phosphorus, nitrate, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, and total suspended solids concentration and flux occurred by the second year and third year of implementation. At Graywood Gully, where Whole Farm Planning was practiced and a myriad of structural and cultural BMPs were introduced, we observed the greatest percent reduction (average = 55.8%) and the largest number of significant reductions in analytes (4 out of 5). Both structural and cultural BMPs were observed to have profound effects on nutrient and soil losses. Where fields were left fallow or planted in a vegetative type crop, reductions, especially in nitrate, were observed. Where structural implementation occurred, reductions in total fractions were particularly evident. Where both were applied, major reductions in nutrients and soil occurred. After 5 years of management, nonevent and event concentrations of total suspended solids in streams draining agricultural watersheds were not significantly different from those in a relatively “pristine/reference” watershed. This was not the case for nutrients.     

Winter application of manure on an agricultural watershed and its impact on downstream nutrient fluxes

Whole Farm Planning was instituted and monitored over a 5-year period within the Graywood Gully sub-watershed of Conesus Lake, NY (USA). An array of agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) (strip cropping, fertilizer reduction, tiling, manure disposal practices, etc.) were simultaneously introduced to determine the impact of a concentrated management effort on nutrient and soil loss from one watershed within the Conesus Lake catchment. During the study period, significant decreases in winter concentrations of dissolved and particulate fractions, including total phosphorus (TP), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), and nitrate (NO₃) but not total suspended solids (TSS), were observed. These decreases may or may not be attributed to cessation of manuring practices. Three years into the study, an opportunity existed to test the responsiveness of the watershed to the curtailment of a single BMP — winter manure application to fields. We field-tested the hypothesis that a change in winter manure applications would impact dissolved and particulate fractions in stream water draining this watershed. We found that the water quality of Graywood Gully is very responsive to winter manure application on environmentally sensitive portions of the sub-watershed. With the short-term resumption of manure application, TP, SRP, TKN, and NO₃ concentrations rose dramatically in stream water; elevated phosphorus concentrations persisted over a 5-week period. Total suspended solids, however, were not elevated after short-term manure application. Factors that affected these results were slope of the land, application of manure over snow and during a snowfall, warm air and soil temperatures, and possibly tile drainage of snowmelt water. Managers of agricultural systems must recognize that phosphorus losses from the watershed during the nongrowing season may detrimentally affect nuisance population of algae in lakes during the summer.     

Quantification of phosphorus sources to a small watershed: A case study of Graywood Gully,Conesus Lake,NY

Phosphorus sources within the Graywood Gully watershed impact water quality within the stream and receiving waters of Conesus Lake, New York. A mass balance approach was instructive in demonstrating the semi-quantitative impact of nonpoint and point nutrient sources on downstream aquatic systems and provided a mechanism to assist in targeting and prioritizing structural best management practices (BMPs) for agricultural areas. The identification and quantification of these sources reveal substantial sources coming from outside the topographic watershed boundary due to the overprint of the built environment on natural surface runoff pathways. The analysis of water sources and phosphorus loading indicated the importance of critical source areas in the watershed and adjacent areas and the effect of the built environment, including drain systems and road ditches, on changing critical hydrological pathways. The impact of BMPs within the watershed was masked by the external contributions from the “extended” watershed, adding over 40% of the total P load to Conesus Lake. This result suggests that the lack of significant decrease in dissolved phosphorus observed in the heavily managed Graywood sub-watershed is a result of not considering the “extended” watershed.     

In situ experimental studies of Eurasian Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) downstream from agricultural watersheds: Nutrient loading,foliar uptake,and growth

Recent studies in Conesus Lake, New York, documented significant decreases in the biomass of Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) near the mouths of streams draining sub-watersheds where reductions in nutrient loading occurred as a result of the implementation of agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs). In situ experiments were conducted to further investigate the relationship between stream loading, foliar uptake, and growth of Eurasian watermilfoil. In two of three experiments, plants cropped to a height of approximately 50 cm had the lowest growth (g/m²) downstream from a sub-watershed where major BMPs had been implemented (80% and 0%). In sub-watersheds where minimal or no BMPs were introduced, plants showed significantly higher growth as biomass increased (216% and 22%). In a second set of experiments, shoots of Eurasian watermilfoil plants were incubated for 24 h in ambient lake water and in lake water with enriched concentrations of nitrate and soluble reactive phosphorus comparable to rain event stream effluent concentrations and then allowed to grow in situ for a 2-week experimental period. For all experiments combined, the shoot biomass increased significantly in the enhanced nutrient treatments when compared to the ambient treatment at the Sand Point macrophyte bed (reduced loading) but not at the Eagle Point macrophyte bed (high loading). Overall, the results indicate that foliar uptake of nutrients in stream effluent can contribute to the growth of Eurasian watermilfoil and reinforce the hypothesis that reductions in stream loading through agricultural BMPs can help reduce macrophyte growth in the lake littoral.     

Detecting effects of Best Management Practices on rain events generating nonpoint source pollution in agricultural watersheds using a physically-based stratagem

Nonpoint source pollution (NPSP) is the export to receiving waters of nutrients originating from diffuse sources. This research documents a methodology for confirming reductions in NPSP resulting from implementation of agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs). It employs that methodology to confirm the success of BMPs implemented in Graywood Gully, a study sub-watershed that drains into Conesus Lake, NY. Evaluating the effects of BMPs in agricultural watersheds is often complicated by significant temporal variability in weather and hydrologic conditions. In many cases NPSP demonstrates much greater variability in response to antecedent hydrologic/meteorologic conditions than to commonly implemented BMPs. In essence, weather variability can mask the beneficial effects of the BMPs. By using the Thornthwaite–Mather procedure to model soil moisture status in addition to event rainfall total, it is possible to remove the major sources of weather/hydrologic-related variability, essentially reducing the number of experimental variables to the BMP itself. Application of this method to the Graywood sub-watershed reveals that BMPs can greatly reduce export of NPSP generated pollutants to receiving waters. Estimates of NPSP reductions range from 53% for soluble reactive phosphorus to 89% for nitrate.     

Management of agricultural practices results in declines of filamentous algae in the lake littoral

Filamentous algal cover was quantified during periods of peak biomass from 2001 to 2007 in six littoral macrophyte beds in Conesus Lake, New York (USA). Three of the study sites were adjacent to streams that drained sub-watersheds where extensive agricultural best management practices (BMPs) designed to reduce nutrient runoff were implemented beginning in 2003. Three other study sites were downstream from sub-watersheds where only a few or no BMPs were implemented by landowners. For the sites that received extensive management, comparisons of the Pre-BMP baseline period (2–3 yrs) to the Post-BMP period (4 yrs) revealed that algal cover was statistically lower than baseline in eight of eleven years (72.7%). For the three sites where limited or no management was implemented, the percent cover of filamentous algae was lower than Pre-BMP baseline levels in only three of twelve years (25%). Where major reductions in cover of filamentous algae occurred, positive relationships existed with summer stream loading of nitrate and soluble reactive phosphorus to the nearshore. In some cases only nitrate loading was significantly correlated with percent cover, indicating that the relative importance of nitrogen and phosphorus to algal growth near streams may be determined by the characteristics and land use within each sub-watershed. Agricultural BMPs targeting nutrient and suspended solid runoff can effectively reduce filamentous algal growth locally along the lake littoral zone on a time scale of months to a few years and with moderate commitment of resources. This work offers a new perspective for management of the growing problem of littoral algal growth in the embayments and drowned river mouths of the Great Lakes.     

Escherichia coli (E. coli) distribution in the Lake Malawi nearshore zone

Residents along the shoreline of Lake Malawi depend on nearshore water for drinking, cooking, and bathing. Despite the importance of clean nearshore waters to public health, we are aware of no published studies of shoreline water quality in the lake. To address this gap, we explore seasonal and temporal trends of the fecal indicator bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) in nearshore water and sand. E. coli concentrations in sand ranged from 0 to 17,600 colony forming units (CFU)/100?ml, and in water concentrations ranged from 0 to 21,200?CFU/100?ml. Fifty-three percent of water samples exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Recreational Water Quality Criteria of 126?CFU/100?ml, and 90% exceeded the World Health Organization drinking water standard of 0?CFU/100?ml. Distance from shore was the variable most predictive of E. coli concentration, with the level of beach use also playing a significant role. At 15?m from the shore, E. coli concentrations dropped to between 0.3% and 17% of shoreline values. Results suggest that the collection of water at distances >15?m from the beach could substantially decrease exposure to fecal bacteria. Further studies are needed to identify sources of fecal pollution and to determine the utility of E. coli as a predictor of the potential for waterborne disease.     

Enterococcus phages as potential tool for identifying sewage inputs in the Great Lakes region

Bacteriophages are viruses living in bacteria that can be used as a tool to detect fecal contamination in surface waters around the world. However, the lack of a universal host strain makes them unsuitable for tracking fecal sources. We evaluated the suitability of two newly isolated Enterococcus host strains (ENT-49 and ENT-55) capable for identifying sewage contamination in impacted waters by targeting phages specific to these hosts. Both host strains were isolated from wastewater samples and identified as E. faecium by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Occurrence of Enterococcus phages was evaluated in sewage samples (n = 15) from five wastewater treatment plants and in fecal samples from twenty-two species of wild and domesticated animals (individual samples; n = 22). Levels of Enterococcus phages, F + coliphages, Escherichia coli and enterococci were examined from four rivers, four beaches, and three harbors. Enterococcus phages enumeration was at similar levels (Mean = 6.72 Log PFU/100 mL) to F + coliphages in all wastewater samples, but were absent from all non-human fecal sources tested. The phages infecting Enterococcus spp. and F + coliphages were not detected in the river samples (detection threshold < 10 PFU/100 mL), but were present in the beach and harbor samples (range = 1.83 to 2.86 Log PFU/100 mL). Slightly higher concentrations (range = 3.22 to 3.69 Log MPN/100 mL) of E. coli and enterococci when compared to F + coliphages and Enterococcus phages, were observed in the river, beach and harbor samples. Our findings suggest that the bacteriophages associated with these particular Enterococcus host strains offer potentially sensitive and human-source specific indicators of enteric pathogen risk.     

Periphytic algal biomass as a bioindicator of phosphorus concentrations in agricultural headwater streams of southern Ontario

Algal blooms in Lake Erie have worsened in recent decades and are driven by diffuse export of phosphorus (P) from a large stream network that drains predominately agricultural land. Given the diffuse nature of nonpoint source pollution, best management practices (BMPs) must target areas where P levels are high. This requires long-term watershed-wide monitoring programs that do not currently exist in many jurisdictions. Instead of conventional nutrient analyses that can be costly and time-consuming, we propose the use of periphyton biomass as a bioindicator of trophic status in low-order streams, where agricultural runoff first enters watercourses. We carried out 2-week in-stream bioassays to measure periphytic algal biomass (CHL_peri) in 19 low-order streams in southern Ontario across an agricultural gradient (8 % to 89 %). CHL_peri was significantly related to total P (TP) concentration (r² = 0.46; p = 0.0015) but was not significantly related to soluble reactive P (SRP). A relationship between TP and turbidity (r² = 0.52; p = 0.0007) is consistent with previous observations of increasing SRP uptake in streams draining agriculturally-dominated landscapes. Stream temperature (°C) was correlated with the proportion of agricultural land (R = 0.55; p = 0.019) and may reflect the warming effects of the sun in unshaded agricultural streams. This method involving substrate rods (Peristix) is cost-effective, requires very little training, and yielded data that were significantly related to TP concentrations in agricultural streams. We recommend that environmental agencies and landowners use this bioassay to identify areas for implementing BMPs to reduce P export from the Lake Erie watershed.     

Nonpoint source reduction to the nearshore zone via watershed management practices: Nutrient fluxes,fate, transport and biotic responses — Background and objectives

Studies that evaluate the linkages between watershed improvement through Best Management Practices (BMPs) and downstream outcomes are few. Water quality of coastal waters is often impacted by soil and nutrient loss from watersheds in agriculture. Mitigation of these impacts is of concern in the Great Lakes, the Finger Lakes Region of New York State, and generally in water bodies of North America. In this issue, we report on hypothesis-based research at the watershed level evaluating the impact of BMPs on mitigation of nonpoint sources of nutrient and soil loss to streams and the nearshore zone of a lake. Specifically, we hypothesize not only reductions in nutrient and soil losses from watersheds but also a resultant decrease in metaphyton (filamentous algae), coliform bacteria, and macrophyte populations in the nearshore at stream mouths draining sub-watersheds where BMPs were introduced. Small experimental sub-watersheds, predominantly in agriculture (> 70%), were selected to ensure that effects on downstream systems would not be confounded by other land use practices often observed in large watershed approaches. In this introductory paper, we provide background information on Conesus Lake, its watershed, and the Conesus Lake watershed project, a large multi-disciplinary study evaluating agricultural management practices. The series of papers in this volume consider the effect of BMPs designed to control nonpoint sources on water chemistry, metaphyton, macrophytes, and microbial populations in the coastal zone of a lake. Ultimately, this volume expands the basic understanding of the ability of BMPs to control nonpoint source pollution while contributing toward the goal of improving water quality of downstream systems including streams, embayments, and the nearshore of large lakes.     

Persistence and Potential Growth of the Fecal Indicator Bacteria,Escherichia coli,in Shoreline Sand at Lake Huron

Recent investigations found high abundances of the fecal indicator Escherichia coli in shoreline sand at freshwater beaches, but it is not known whether these high numbers are due to passive filtration/trapping of the bacteria, or to colonization and growth. This study was initiated to test the hypothesis that high abundance can be explained, at least in part, by the ability of E. coli to persist and grow in beach sand. A combination of laboratory and field studies was used to monitor the densities of environmental isolates of E. coli in beach sand. In controlled laboratory microcosm studies using autoclaved beach sand inoculated with E. coli strains previously isolated from ambient beach sand, E. coli densities increased from 2 CFU/g to more than 2 × 10⁵ CFU/g sand after 2 days of incubation at 19°C, and remained above 2 × 10⁵ CFU/g for at least 35 days. In field studies utilizing similarly inoculated beach sand in diffusion chambers incubated at a Lake Huron beach, E. coli also grew rapidly, reaching high densities (approximately 7.5 × 10⁵ CFU/g), and persisting in a cultivable state at high density for at least 48 days. In comparison, E. coli levels in ambient beach sand adjacent to the chambers always had densities <100 CFU/g. Lake Huron beach sand clearly provides nutrients, temperatures, and other conditions needed to support growth of E. coli. The growth of E. coli in sterile sand diffusion chambers to higher levels than occurs in ambient beach sand may indicate the presence in ambient sand of biological controls on bacterial growth, such as predation or competition.     

Validation of qPCR method for enterococci quantification at Toronto beaches: Application for rapid recreational water monitoring

Rapid quantitative PCR-based methods for enterococci monitoring can allow public health authorities to make more timely beach posting decisions. However, qPCR methods must be assessed for proposed sites as locale-specific factors may affect DNA recovery or qPCR inhibition. We assessed the feasibility of the USEPA 1609.1 qPCR-based (Enterococcus) method at two urban Toronto beaches and three recreational areas at nearby river mouths in parallel with culture-based methods on the same water samples. A strong positive correlation was observed between the Enterococcus qPCR method and culturing-based quantification methods for E. coli and enterococci at both beaches and two river mouth areas. One river, known to be highly sewage-impacted, did not yield DNA suitable for qPCR analyses. qPCR results from biological replicates were strongly correlated and showed coefficients of variation as low as or lower than culture-based methods. With respect to Beach Action Value exceedances, the USEPA 1609.1 qPCR method provided an 80–90% level of agreement with E. coli enumeration results and >90% with enterococci enumeration. Results indicated that if recreational water locations and sampling conditions met the requirements of the USEPA 1609.1 qPCR method, the method can meet or exceed all quality control requirements and provide water quality results within 3.5 h for diverse recreational water settings around the City of Toronto.     

Modelling of nearshore microbial water quality at confluence of a local tributary in Lake St. Clair

Microbial water quality, measured as Escherichia coli (E. coli) concentration, at beaches along the southern shore of Lake St. Clair in Canada, often exceeds public safety guidelines. Belle River, located near a public beach and a drinking water intake, is one of the several smaller tributaries of the lake whose contribution to nearshore microbial water quality is currently unknown. A flexible mesh 3D coupled TUFLOW-FV and Aquatic Ecodynamic (AED2+) model was used to simulate the hydrodynamics and microbial water quality in Lake St. Clair. A higher resolution nested model was developed within the lake-wide TUFLOW-FV model for better spatial and temporal resolution in the local region surrounding Belle River. Regular and up to a factor of four difference in predicted E. coli concentrations were observed with the nested and lake-wide models at the public beach next to Belle River, whereas the difference was marginal at the drinking water intake about a kilometre away from the shore. While the E. coli loading to Lake St. Clair from Belle River is considered negligible, >90% of the predicted daily E. coli concentration at the beach and > 50 % at the water intake were attributed to Belle River from amongst all watershed sources to Lake St. Clair considered in the model. The model results also show that the construction of a new 150 m jetty in 2018, replacing the older 25 m jetty separating Belle River from the public beach, is expected to significantly reduce E. coli concentrations observed at the beach.     

Distribution and Fate of Escherichia coli in Lake Michigan Following Contamination with Urban Stormwater and Combined Sewer Overflows

Escherichia coli distribution and persistence in nearshore Lake Michigan were assessed following heavy rains and sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) and combined sewer overflow (CSO) events over a 5-year period, including an 18-day period following 25.4 cm of rainfall in which intensive studies were conducted following multiple CSO and SSO events. E. coli levels in the Milwaukee estuary and harbor following SSO and CSO events ranged from 10⁴ to nearly 10⁵ CFU/100 mL, which were significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) than levels following rainfall alone. Sites outside of the breakwall but within the contamination plume (e.g., within 2 km of the harbor) were an order of magnitude lower. Locations 2–5 km from the harbor ranged from below detection limits, of < 1 to 5 CFU/100 mL. E. coli levels corrected for dilution based on specific conductivity measurements were lower than what would be expected for loss due to dilution alone, suggesting a combination of die-off and dilution, were responsible for the rapid disappearance of these organisms outside of the harbor. E. coli and fecal coliforms measured concurrently demonstrated that fecal coliforms could be recovered longer than E. coli in the open waters of the lake. E. coli isolated directly from sewage treatment plant influent were found to have a marked increase in antibiotic resistance traits for ten antibiotics commonly used in the human population compared with isolates from two animal sources of fecal pollution. However, E. coli obtained from sewage impacted water (n = 2,513) and from stormwater impacted water (n = 1,465) collected the previous year when there were no sewage overflows, were found to have no significant difference (p < 0.05) in the frequency of resistance when comparing the two conditions. E. coli survival characteristics and population dynamics are most likely influenced by multiple factors in complex systems such as the watershed/estuarine/lake environments of the Great Lakes.     

Microbial pollution characterization at a TMDL site in Michigan: Source identification

Communities throughout the Great Lakes basin are developing and implementing watershed management plans to address non-point sources of pollution and meet Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements. Investigating sources of microbial contamination in key streams and creeks is critical for the development of effective watershed management plans. This work aims to present an approach that will facilitate source identification. In addition to conventional indicator analysis, the approach includes molecular analysis of species-specific markers and microbial community diversity analysis. We characterized microbial pollution in the Sloan Creek subwatershed in Ingham County MI, an impaired area, located in the Great Lakes Basin. To identify pollution sources (human or animal) and major sites of origin (tributaries with highest pollution loads) water samples were collected from three locations in the subwatershed representing the main creek upstream, main creek downstream, and tributary. A fecal indicator (E. coli) and host-specific human and bovine-associated Bacteroides genetic markers were quantified in all water samples. Results indicated that 54% of the samples from the three locations exceeded the recreational E.coli water quality guidelines. High concentrations of both human and bovine associated-Bacteroides indicated influence of multiple sources of fecal contamination. Statistical tests showed significantly different water characteristics between two of the sampling locations. Whole genome shotgun sequencing indicated fecal and sewer signatures, wastewater metagenome, human gut metagenome, and rumen gut metagenome in the water samples. Results suggested that probable sources of contamination were leakage from septic systems and runoff from agriculture activities nearby to Sloan Creek.     

The establishment of the nuisance cyanobacteria Lyngbya wollei in Lake St. Clair and its potential to harbor fecal indicator bacteria

Lyngbya wollei is a filamentous cyanobacterium which forms large nuisance mats and has infested eastern and southeastern U.S. Lakes and reservoirs for over 100 years. Lyngbya was recently identified in the Great Lakes system in the St. Lawrence River, and Western Lake Erie. Here we report on large deposits of L. wollei washing onshore at a popular recreational beach in Lake Saint Clair, part of the Great Lakes system. The amount of L. wollei deposited on shore was quantified and evaluated for the presence of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB). High concentrations of Escherichia coli, enterococci and Clostridium perfringens were found in the L. wollei in nearshore waters. The densities of E. coli (MPN), enterococci (MPN) and C. perfringens (CFU) attached to L. wollei averaged 3.5, 3.2 and 3.2 log/g, respectively. In contrast, nearshore waters contained nearly 10 times less FIB, averaging 2.6, 2.4 and 2.6 log/100 ml of E. coli (MPN), enterococci (MPN) and C. perfringens (CFU), respectively. DNA fingerprint analysis was used to examine the population structure of E. coli isolates obtained from L. wollei mats. The L. wollei-borne E. coli strains were genetically diverse, suggesting a causal relationship between E. coli and L. wollei. Results from this study indicate that in addition to the macroalga such as Cladophora, cyanobacteria like L. wollei also harbor FIB, potentially impacting water quality and human health in the Great Lakes.     

Spatial and temporal distribution of the cyanotoxin microcystin-LR in the Lake Ontario ecosystem: Coastal embayments,rivers, nearshore and offshore,and upland lakes

Cyanotoxins, a group of hepatotoxins and neurotoxins produced by cyanobacteria, pose a health risk to those who use surface waters as sources for drinking water and for recreation. Little is known about the spatial and seasonal occurrence of cyanotoxins in Lake Ontario and other lakes and ponds within its watershed. Within the embayments, ponds, rivers, creeks, shoreside, and nearshore and offshore sites of Lake Ontario, microcystin-LR concentrations were low in May, increased through the summer, and reached a peak in September before decreasing in October. Considerable variability in microcystin-LR concentrations existed between and within habitat types within the Lake Ontario ecosystem. In general, the average microcystin-LR concentration was two orders of magnitude lower in embayment (mean = 0.084 μg/L), river (mean = 0.020 μg/L), and shoreside (mean = 0.052 μg/L) sites compared to upland lakes and ponds (mean = 1.136 μg/L). Concentrations in the nearshore sites (30-m depth) and offshore sites (100-m depth) were another order of magnitude lower (mean = 0.006 μg/L) than in the creek/river, bay/pond, and shoreside habitats. Only 0.3% (2 of 581) of the samples taken in Lake Ontario coastal waters exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) Drinking Water Guideline of 1 μg microcystin/L for humans. In contrast, 20.4% (20 of 98) of the samples taken at upland lakes and ponds within the watershed of Lake Ontario exceeded WHO Guidelines. No significant relationship between nitrate and microcystin-LR concentrations was observed in Lake Ontario even though a significant positive relationship existed between phosphorus and phycocyanin and microcystin-LR concentrations. At an upland lake site (Conesus Lake) in the Ontario watershed, the development of a littoral Microcystis population was not observed despite high nutrient loading (P and N) into the nearshore zone, well-developed nearshore populations of filamentous Spirogyra and Zygnema, the occurrence of Dreissena spp., and the known occurrence of Microcystis and microcystin production in the pelagic waters of Conesus Lake.     

Microbial Concentrations in Sand and their Effect on Beach Water in Door County,Wisconsin

The seasonal variations and patterns of Escherichia coli in Wisconsin's coastal waters have been closely studied in recent years due to increased beach monitoring activities. Patterns of distribution of the indicator organism, E. coli, in the sand at these beaches are now being investigated as a source of E. coli to adjacent beach water. This project investigates the concentrations of E. coli in beach sand, and the relationship between these sand-microbe concentrations and concentrations of microbes in the corresponding beach water. Weekly sampling of upshore, swash, and submerged sand at six beaches provided numbers of the indicator bacteria in each beach's sand substrate for two consecutive summers. Overall concentrations of E. coli were highest in the swash sand of the beach, with the highest numbers seen in the summer months and lowest numbers in the winter months. Each location had very different concentrations of E. coli in the beach sand from 1,800 CFU/100 g to 21,670 CFU/100 g sand. Each location had a very different relationship between the indicator organism found in the beach sand and that found in the beach water. These data suggest that sand may be a reservoir for E. coli at some locations, and another source of contamination that should be considered in beach monitoring programs. However, elevated levels of E. coli in beach sand were not universal and varied greatly from location to location.     

Population dynamics of brown trout in a Minnesota (USA) stream: A 25‐year study

Brown trout (Salmo trutta) were surveyed by mark recapture in a 200‐m section of Gilmore Creek, Minnesota, annually during fall 1989–2013 to assess long‐term trends in abundance. Young‐of‐year (YOY) fish comprised >68% of the population annually, but age 3 and older fish were present in 23 of 25 years. Trout abundance varied irregularly, peaking every 4 to 6 years. Fall densities of YOY brown trout were positively correlated with median annual stream discharge but inversely correlated with 10% exceedance discharge in May, at a nearby gaged stream. Changes in brown trout abundances were synchronized with those of trout in 2 nearby streams. Annual mortality rates (mean = 74%) and sizes of YOY trout were correlated with YOY densities, with high densities (>1.0 fish/m²) producing small size during fall and high cohort mortality. High YOY densities resulted in low proportional size structure‐quality (PSS_Q, <20%) 1 and 2 years later. If similar brown trout population dynamics occur in other streams within the region, interpretation of short‐term studies of brown trout (e.g., regulation evaluations, creel surveys, population response to habitat improvement, seasonal movements, and growth rates) may be confounded.