MANITOWOC COUNTY BEACH ISSUES

Bacteria forcing closuresAlgae problems

Manitowoc CountySoil & Water Conservation Department

tomward@co.manitowoc.wi.us

Grant funding provided by:

Water quality is monitored for beach closings based on E Coli samples

West L. Michigan Beaches 9/9/03

Site 8/27 & 8/28/03(CFU/100ml)

9/13/03(CFU/

100ml)

9/22/03(CFU/

100ml)

Point Beach 1 (lighthouse)

> 2,400, 390 510 146

Point Beach 2 (pumphouse)

>2,400, 1200 483 125

Point Beach 3 (lodge)

>2,400, 1045 388 130

Neshota Beach

265, 1045 567 115

Manitowoc Harbor

260 2069 520

Red Arrow >2,400 2831 5644

Fischer Creek 95 639 603

Fischer Beach

>2,400 709 1558

E. Coli count data for rain events by site and date

Hika Bay - Cleveland

Fischer Creek

Point Beach

oRelatively Low Algae

oExperiences Beach Closures and Advisories

Sources:People

Agriculture

Wildlife

Coastal Zone Management Grant

Form a Task Force to identify and recommend actions for identification of bacteria sources.

Coordinate with multiple parties data collection that will assist in resolution of problem sources of bacteria.

Figure A-6: E. coli survey on June 12, 2001. Heavy rain (1.75 inches in 24 hours); CSO within 48 hours; wind from west-southwest.

E. coli counts (CFU/100 ml)

Gull isolates on LB plate with Ampicillin

(20 g/ml)

Sewage isolates on LB plate with Ampicillin

(20 g/ml)

Stormwater isolates on LB plate with Ampicillin

(20g/ml)

Antibiotic Resistance Testing was chosen to be Conducted August ‘03

Next Steps

Dairy manure collections for AR COMPLETED

Identify beach specific investigation strategies Spatial survey of E coli occurrence

COMPLETED Map outfalls COMPLETED Bacteriodes-Prevotella PCR (DNA test) ?

ONGOING- UW Milwaukee Water Institute

74 Manure samples from 45 Farms

Antibiotic Resistance Frequency of Manitowoc Beaches and Host Samples

Antibiotic Resistance Frequency by Host or Environmental Sample Type

Antibiotic

Conc (ug/ml)

Sewage (n=1252)

Gull (n=1225)

Cow (n=1027)

Stormwater (n=2447)

Red Arrow (n=840)

Fischer Beach (n=818)

Fischer Creek (n=836)

Point Beach (n=846 )

Harbor/YMCA (n=260)

Neshotah Beach (n=928)

Ampicillin 20 40 80

67 54 50

18 4 4

12 10 9

47 19 15

24 20 14

14 11 9

17 14 13

65 51 22

12 12 7

0 12 6

Chlorotetracycline 12.5 25 50

33 27 21

9 5 2

19 16 15

23 10 6

15 11 9

19 12 12

19 5 6

25 22 12

18 13 15

13 8 9

Kanamycin 25 50

100

13 12 10

1 1 1

5 4 4

2 2 1

12 9 7

6 5 5

7 5 4

9 9 9

4 3 3

5 3 3

Nalidixic Acid 12.5 25 50

16 14 12

<0.5 <0.5 <0.5

0 0 0

3 3 1

2 1

<1

<0.5 0 0

<0.5 0 0

1 <0.5 <0.5

1 1 1

<0.5 <0.5 <0.5

Neomycin 25 50

100

11 10 8

1 1 1

4 4 3

2 <0.5 <0.5

9 7 6

6 5 4

4 4 5

11 9 8

3 3 2

4 3 3

Oxytetracycline 12.5 25 50

32 30 27

7 6 4

21 20 17

12 9 7

18 15 13

18 18 15

12 10 8

21 19 16

16 15 15

12 12 11

Penicillin G

22.5 45 90

180

43 40 32 32

4 8 5 7

-- 14 9 8

13 26 18 19

59 26 18 14

48 19 16 11

37 20 15 7

66 26 22 17

58 37 7 5

55 14 9 8

Streptomycin 6.25 12.5 25

25 23 18

12 8 3

18 15 12

21 16 7

29 13 10

15 11 9

18 16 13

21 16 13

37 16 11

14 9 5

Sulfathiazole+

500 1000 2000 4000

-- 23 19 18

<0.5 5 2 4

-- 10 10 10

5 8 4 4

-- 34 8 5

-- 49 5 5

-- 69 5 4

-- 37 10 9

-- 10 8 7

-- 22 4 4

Tetracycline 12.5 25 50

31 28 24

6 5 3

19 15 11

11 9 7

13 10 8

17 14 11

11 8 5

20 17 13

17 14 9

13 8 8

Continuing Issues

Is there a link between E coli and algae? Manitowoc - Cleveland -

Sheboygan Is E coli a good and valid indicator? Does wave action stirring up E coli off the

bottom = beach closures Individual beach Investigations

Red Arrow, Neshota, Fischer Cr – outfall influences?

Point Beach – Why the AR bacteria?

Red Arrow Health Department Samples “Spacial Survey” E coli

Includes samples at stormwater ponds near Wal-Mart Bacteriodes PCR beach and mouth of river E coli in sand Variables = outfall, sand medium, near shore

current, wave action, river influence, parking lots, gulls, WWTP

YMCA Beach

Health Department Samples “Spacial Survey” E coli City Gull Harrassment Process

Gulls were encouraged to move

Fischer Creek Beach

Health Department Samples ’03,’04 “Spacial Survey” E coli ‘04 Bacteriodes PCR DNA test- beach and

mouth of river

Point Beach

Health Department Samples “Spacial Survey” E coli

Issues: potential human vs livestock influence on closings

Gulls

Rain on 8/22/04

E-NE Wind

4-5 Ft Waves

Strong Longshore current

Lots of Suspended Sand/soil

9600 col/100 mg in a dug

hole

Suspect – Bacteria in the Sand

Neshota Beach

Health Department Samples “Spacial Survey” E coli Bacteriodes PCR beach and mouth of

river E coli in sand - Inconclusive

Beach issues: Gulls, restricted beach grooming, river influence, stormwater outfalls, sand and wave influence

Vision Forward

How do We Use What We Learned:

1. Recreation Management

2. Beach Management

3. Bacteria Abatement

4. Public Relations

5. Public Policy

Recreation Management

Predict Advisories Planning Events

Beach Management

Algae Management Can the beach be cleaned? Can the algae be managed?

Avian Management Is your beach gull habitat? Are birds attracted by feeding?

Grooming vs. Nongrooming Clean smooth grooming vs aerated and rough

Public Policies

Ordinances Controlling Sources Septage, bird feeding, animal waste

runoff, Urban runoff Urban Nonpoint Education E coli standard for closure

235 colonies / 100ml 1000 colonies / 100 ml

Public Relations

Focus on healthier sites

Understanding of risks and making personal choices

Non-science understanding of the issues and risks

Bacteria Abatement

Wetland construction to treat E coli?

Stormwater / sanitary infrastructure

Nonpoint pollution sources from urban and rural Pet waste Parking lots Rural livestock Domestic sewage

What do we know now?

Bacteria is not likely blowing in from the lake

Gulls are a part of the mix at Neshotah and Pt Beach

Dairy livestock – probably not the cause

Suspect bacteria is rinsing out of beach sand during rain or wave events

What do we know now?

Landscape runoff is likely a major contributing factor – Urban Stormwater, Rural Stormwater

Still some hints of human pollution @ Point Beach

Manitowoc County Discovery Farm Projects & Research

New tilling approaches which reduce non-point runoff from fields planted to row crops, such as corn and soybeans.

The impact of liquid manure applications on tiled fields with heavy clay content.

Buffer effectiveness. Collaboration with other agencies that

may aid in determining causes of Lake Michigan beach closings and excessive algae.

Remember, our beaches are much cleaner than what our parents swam in!