Bacteria (E.coli)

3.6.1 Bacteria (E.coli)Tori Nimrod2023-12-01T14:54:16-05:00

E.Coli Bacteria

E. coli bacteria is a fecal indicator bacteria that is used to detect pathogens in water. If ingested, pathogens in streams or rivers can cause human health illness. The primary source for most bacterial pollution in streams is from contact with animal and human waste, through agricultural activities or human wastewater systems. Over half of the HUC 12s monitored in the UWR Watershed average E. coli concentrations above 235CFU/100ml E. coli, this value represents Iowa’s single sample maximum water quality standard for primary contact recreational use. E. coli bacteria as an indicator species is a great concern for the UWR watershed. Many of its waters are unsafe for recreational use and human consumption.

Results by Sampling Year

2015

2015 E.coli Bacteria

(CFU/100ml)

2016

2016 E.coli Bacteria

(Mg/l)

2017

2017 E.coli Bacteria

(Mg/l)

2019

2019 E.coli Bacteria

(CFU/100ml)

2020

2021

2022

2023

All Years

Back to Water Quality Page

The Wapsipinicon River stretches over 290 miles from the Iowa/Minnesota border all the way to the Mississippi River near Clinton, Iowa. Although it only extends two miles into Minnesota, the Wapsipinicon River is the fifth largest Iowa tributary of the Mississippi, being surpassed in length only by the Des Moines, Cedar, Iowa, and Skunk rivers. It is a long narrow watershed that for 180 miles averages barely more than 15 miles wide and thus it has no major tributary.

Even though it is narrow, this watershed covers 4.5% of Iowa. The Wapsipinicon River boasts the longest, continuous stretch of natural and scenic river corridor in the Iowan Surface Region of Iowa. Much of that river corridor is in public ownership and dominated by wooded wetlands and riparian forests that provide habitat for birds, reptiles and other animal species, as well as birders, boaters, paddlers and anglers.