E. coli tests of samples from two stream branches of the Little Falls watershed in Bethesda show half of the samples did not meet Maryland or District of Columbia standards for water quality. Samples of stream water collected near the Bethesda public pool (Willett Branch) and south of the Massachusetts Avenue bridge (Little Falls Branch) exceeded the "safe" level of E. coli contamination.
Samples taken upstream from the Somerset Pool (Little Falls Branch) and on the Potomac River side of MacArthur Boulevard near Brookmont (Little Falls Branch) passed, however. The samples were collected, and results reported, by the Little Falls Watershed Alliance.
Monitoring E. coli contamination can help alert authorities to sewage leaks in the watershed. But fecal contamination also comes from uncollected pet waste and wildlife that ends up in the streams.
Photo by Robert Dyer
Chart by Little Falls Watershed Alliance
Chart by Little Falls Watershed Alliance
3 comments:
I have a friend who leaves his dog's crap in the woods no matter how many times I explain basic science and water runoff to him. I apologize for his dumbass contributing to this problem.
Gonna be cynical here, but I'm assuming this is from pet waste. As a dog owner myself, it is so infuriating when owners don't pick up after their pets. That's part of what you sign up for when getting a dog, so gird your loins and pick up your pet's shit.
The WSSC used to do bacteria sampling of local streams with source tracking. You can see some data on the old Friends of Sligo Creek web site about it, e.g., https://old.fosc.org/WSSCMonitoring20160323.htm
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