Several Headwaters members participated in the Kentucky River Watershed Watch E. coli water sampling event that took place on the 12th and 13th of May. The significant rainfall during this sampling event was a major factor, contributing to higher E. coli readings at some sampling sites. While this sampling event served as a good indicator of E. coil values during rainfall, the levels will greatly differ from one sampling event to the next. The variance in sampling results is one reason it is so important to sample streams every year or multiple times a year.
The results for Letcher County streams are as follows:
Site # Stream Name E. coli Result
802 Pine Creek 360 cfu/100 ml
1151 Cram Creek 290 cfu/100 ml
1243 Long Branch <10 cfu/100 ml
756 Sandlick Creek <10 cfu/100 ml
1143 Dry Fork 770 cfu/100 ml
803 Cram Creek 340 cfu/100 ml
1152 Cram Creek 770 cfu/100 ml
801 North Fork Kentucky River 2,920 cfu/100 ml
1185 North Fork Kentucky River 3,440 cfu/100 ml
850 Crafts Colley Creek 1,400 cfu/100ml
In order to gauge the significance of results, E. coli concentration standards are listed below:
Below 240 cfu/100 ml – meets swimming standard
Between 240 and 2,400 cfu/100 ml – exceeds swimming standard
Greater than 2,400 cfu/100 ml – greatly exceeds swimming standard
All results have been compiled by KRWW and are available on their online database. On this database you can also find a more detailed description of the sampling site locations along with results from previous years.