New Water Quality Data for the Hudson, and a One-of-a-Kind Saw Mill River Snapshot
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The results of water quality sampling during Riverkeeper’s September Hudson River patrol are now available at the Water Quality section at riverkeeper.org.
The water quality monitoring portion of this September’s patrol took place during wet weather. At least an inch of rain fell in the 72 hours before sampling at all locations tested, and much more in most places. Not surprisingly, our samples from most New York City and Albany sites failed the EPA’s recommended criteria for safe swimming (60 Entero/100 mL).
However, Entero counts at some mid–channel sites around NYC, and even at some nearshore sites in the Capital District, were around 100 cells/100 mL—not extreme failures. Counts were much greater in our samples from the mouths of the Catskill, Esopus and Rondout Creeks, all at the upper limit of detection (>2,420 cells/100 mL).
Heavy rain produced turbid water and high Entero counts in the Rondout, Catskill and Esopus Creeks. Photo: John Lipscomb
During this patrol, community sampling in the Saw Mill River watershed fell on the same day as Capt. John Lipscomb sampled the Yonkers area from the R. Ian Fletcher. This means that we have a one-of-a-kind water quality snapshot in the Saw Mill River and its Hudson River receiving water. Community partners at the Center for the Urban River at Beczak sampled from the upper Saw Mill River near its headwaters in Chappaqua all the way to the recently daylighted section in Yonkers. Riverkeeper staff sampled the Hudson River influenced by the Saw Mill and at mid-channel in Yonkers.
The data show that the Saw Mill River was a source of fecal pollution to the Hudson at the time we sampled. Throughout the Saw Mill River watershed, most Entero counts were in the tens of thousands. The count in mixed Hudson River/Saw Mill River water was 6,488, and the count at Yonkers mid-channel was <10, our minimum level of detection. Also at Riverkeeper.org now are the latest results from community sampling in the Catskill Creek, Esopus Creek, Rondout Creek. Check Riverkeeper.org soon for results of early October sampling in the Pocantico River, Quassaick Creek and Sparkill Creek.
Note that the results presented here and on the Web represent a snapshot in time, and are not indicative of water quality today. We encourage the public to explore the historical data as one way to make informed choices about where and when to enter the water.