What makes fecal-coliform bacteria levels go up and down?
Levels of fecal-coliform bacteria in a river or stream can be influenced by many factors. The most common causes for elevated levels of fecal-coliform bacteria are due to runoff associated with storms, however, leaking sewage lines or spills from treatment plants can also cause levels to increase. Fecal-coliform concentrations are typically higher (1) during and after rain events, (2) on tributary streams than in the Chattahoochee River, (3) further downstream in the Chattahoochee River than near Buford Dam, (4) during the summer recreation season than during the winter months, and (5) at night rather than during daylight hours. How are fecal-coliform bacteria measured? There are several ways of measuring numbers of fecal-coliform bacteria in streams. The method used to determine the numbers reported on this web site involves a relatively new method recently approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). It involves the collection of water from the river water u
