This week of Beach Watch results from August 19th, 2024 showed that two of the eight submitted samples did not have acceptable swimming water quality standards of 235 E. Coli colonies per 100ml sample.
This year marks the 25th season of Save The River’s Beach Watch program. With the help of volunteers, eight swimming locations are tested every Monday for nine weeks from July 1 through August 30. The eight testing sites are: Frink Park, Clayton; Scenic View Park, Alexandria Bay; Thousand Islands Park Cove, Wellesley Island; Lake of the Isles, Wellesley Island; Wilson’s Beach, Cape Vincent; Round Island, Clayton; Potters Beach, Grindstone Island; and Sawmill Bay, Cape Vincent. Weekly monitoring results are posted on Save The River’s website (www.savetheriver.org) and social media, at their 409 Riverside Drive, Clayton storefront, and on the Swim Guide mobile app and website (theswimguide.org).
Save The River’s Beach Watch program aims to test the water quality of eight local beaches and popular swimming destinations to ensure a safe swimming environment. Water quality is monitored by testing the levels of E. coli bacteria, which in high amounts can cause illness. E. coli is a common indicator used for testing of fecal contamination in waterways and is the recommended indicator in fresh waterways. Results are expressed in the number of bacteria colonies found in a 100 milliliter (ml) sample of swimming water. The New York State Health Department has set a swimming water quality limit of 235 colonies of E. coli bacteria per 100 milliliters of water for a one-time sample and 126 colonies for an average result over five weeks.
If a New York State swimming beach fails a water quality sample, the beach will close until it passes a resample test. Save The River monitors the Beach Watch program on a volunteer basis and has no authority to close the swimming areas we sample. The results are used to highlight areas of concern and inform landowners and stakeholders of potential health risks. When there is a situation of high bacteria, Save The River submits those results to local and state authorities for their use and action.
Our test samples are taken on Monday mornings throughout the summer, with results received in 24 hours and additional tests conducted should a site fail. Since it can take up to two days for sample analyses to be completed, the worst of conditions often pass before results are available. Swimmers at private beaches and other popular swimming areas should use caution after heavy rainfalls. It is generally recommended to avoid swimming in these areas 24-48 hours after a heavy rain especially if the water looks or smells suspicious. Storm water runoff can carry animal droppings on the ground into local streams and lakes, causing elevated E. coli concentrations. Additionally, rain can cause soil erosion and higher turbidity (poor water clarity).
If you would like to learn more about this volunteer opportunity, contact Bridget Wright at bridget@savetheriver.org.
