2005 - Door County Web Map

etween elevated E. coli levels and rain events for up to 72 hours after the rain event (Table 2, pg
50).
Impact of Wind and Waves
In 2005 there was no correlation found between elevated E. coli counts and wind. There was a
correlation between elevated E. coli counts and wave height in 2005 (Table 6, pg 60).
E. coli Levels in Beach Sands
Overall the E. coli levels in the sand were fairly low (Figure 26, pg 61). There were occasions
when the E. coli levels in the sand were above the beach water advisory level of 235
MPN/100mL. The swash zone samples were typically higher in E. coli than the sand samples
taken up shore of in sand located 6-12” underwater.
Impact of Birds
There was no correlation between bird counts or the amount of bird waste and E. coli in 2004 or
2005, indicating that the number of birds present at the time of water sampling, and the amount
of bird waste calculated in the survey may not have a significant effect on the E. coli
concentrations at the beach (Table 7 and Table 8, pg 66).
Pathogen Testing in Beach Water
There were no pathogens (Shigella, Salmonella, Campylobacter) found in the beach water at
Fish Creek beach in 2005.
E. coli Identity/Sources
The antibiotic resistance testing and the genetic fingerprinting of E. coli isolates collected in
2004 and 2005 from Fish Creek beach indicate that E. coli isolates are from multiple sources,
human, avian, dog and other unidentified sources (Figure 41, pg Figure 41: Quanti-Trays with
positive fluorescence for E. coli). This indicates that the E. coli is not coming from one obvious
source, but instead it is accumulating from many sources and being transported to the beach.
This finding takes the emphasis off of the remediation of one source and places it on remediation
of the delivery system that is transporting the accumulation of many sources to the beach.
Summary
Overall these results indicate that the emphasis should be on the remediation of the delivery
system that is transporting the accumulation of many sources to the beach. The delivery system
at Fish Creek Beach consists mainly of storm water pipe and parking lot runoff discharging on
the beach. The immediate potential sources of E. coli at Fish Creek beach are storm water from
storm water outfall pipes located near the beach, and parking lot runoff, and re-suspension
caused by wave activity of potentially contaminated near shore beach sediments.
Recommendations for additional source identification work:
Test additional E. coli concentrations during rain events and determining the identity of E. coli in
the near shore beach sands and storm water pipes, and in Cladophora algae mats. Continue
avian counts during the beach monitoring Ecolab sample collection, and discontinue the avian
waste survey. No additional water samples need to be taken at Fish Creek beach for pathogens
unless a problem arises that indicates a need.
Beach management recommendations and requirements for the 2006:
Recommended: considering measures to reduce storm water runoff to the beach.
Required: post wet weather beach swimming advisory sign at the beach for 24 hours after all rain
events of ¼ inches with 24 hours. The wet weather beach swimming advisory is required to
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