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Water Quality of Local Lakes

During the summer months, water samples are collected from local natural bathing beaches.  The Health Department's lab analyzes the water for fecal coliform and E. coli. 

EPA Criteria for Freshwater Bathing (Full Body Contact) Recreational Water:

Based on a statistically sufficient number of samples (generally not less than 5 samples equally spaced over a 30-day period), the geometric mean of the indicated bacterial densities should not exceed one or the other of the following*:

Fecal coliform:   200 per 100 ml; or

E. coli:   126 per 100 ml

Water Analysis 2007

 
per 100 ml
JULY
AUGUST
September OCT NOV
Cedar Lake
Fecal coliform
1 3      
E. coli
1 31      
Lake Cyrene
Fecal coliform
2 13      
E. coli
1 1      
Fairview Lake
Fecal coliform
6 14      
E. coli
5 5      
Hillcreek Lake
Fecal coliform
114 4**      
E. coli
3 53**      
Hinkson Creek at Capen Park
Fecal coliform
172 262      
E. coli
59 36      
E. Hulen Lake
Fecal coliform
5 125      
E. coli per
33 5      
W. Hulen Lake
Fecal coliform
5 7      
E. coli
20 3      
Katy Lake
Fecal coliform
64 TNTC 36    
E. coli
5 8 5    
Nifong Lake
Fecal coliform
362 61      
E. coli
230 7      
Quarry Lake
Fecal coliform
0 3      
E. coli
0 2      
Queen Ann Lake
Fecal coliform
2 28      
E. coli
4 200      
Shalimar Gardens
Fecal coliform
50 52      
E. coli
18 14      
Twin Lakes (boating area)
Fecal coliform
62 24      
E. coli
75 24      

Flat Branch at Stadium Crossing***

Fecal coliform

        47
E. coli
        39
Woodrail Lake
Fecal coliform
7 7      
E. coli
3 0      

 

 
per 100 ml
8/14
8/21
8/28
9/6 9/11 9/18 9/25
Stephen's Lake
Fecal coliform
33 14
15
64 110 3 15
E. coli
3 0 0 12 18 2 0
Twin Lakes (diving area)
Fecal coliform
8 X X X X X X
E. coli
0 X X X X X X
Twin Lakes (shallow area)
Fecal coliform
31 X X X X X X
E. coli
37 X X X X X X

*Lake samples that exceed the recommended limits are re-sampled for three consecutive weeks.

**Resampled on 8/28

***Sampled due to citizen complaint

TNTC indicates Too Numerous To Count

~ indicates that the samplewas unable to be read due to the overgrowth of another organism.

X indicates that the area is closed for the season.

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