Testing Of A Model For Predicting Recreational Water Quality Of The Cuyahoga River in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park Based On Real-time Turbidity And Streamflow Data
Water-quality concerns have long limited recreational use of the Cuyahoga River within the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Park managers would like to promote the use of the river when conditions are appropriate, but the time required to obtain bacteria concentrations is too long to adequately assess the water quality and inform the public of a potential health risk—traditional bacteria-culture methods for determining concentrations take at least 18 hours from sample collection until results are available. A collaborative effort between the USGS and National Park Service has resulted in the development and testing of a nowcast system for the Cuyahoga River at one location within the Park. The nowcast is a mathematical system that uses easily measured environmental and water-quality “variables,” such as turbidity and rainfall, to rapidly estimate bacterial levels. Predicted bacterial levels are posted to the Ohio Nowcast website (http://ny.water.usgs.gov/maps/ohnowcast/) to provide the public with information to make informed recreational-use decisions about water quality and encourage the use of the river.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Development and implementation of a regression model for predicting recreational water quality in the Cuyahoga River, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio 2009-11
The Cuyahoga River within Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) is at times impaired for recreational use due to elevated concentrations of Escherichia coli (E. coli), a fecal-indicator bacterium. During the recreational seasons of mid-May through September during 2009–11, samples were collected 4 days per week and analyzed for E. coli concentrations at two sites within CVNP. Other water-quality an
Occurrence of Escherichia coli in the Cuyahoga River in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio
Microbiological Water Quality in Relation to Water-Contact Recreation, Cuyahoga River, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio, 2000 and 2002
Below are partners associated with this project.
- Overview
Water-quality concerns have long limited recreational use of the Cuyahoga River within the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Park managers would like to promote the use of the river when conditions are appropriate, but the time required to obtain bacteria concentrations is too long to adequately assess the water quality and inform the public of a potential health risk—traditional bacteria-culture methods for determining concentrations take at least 18 hours from sample collection until results are available. A collaborative effort between the USGS and National Park Service has resulted in the development and testing of a nowcast system for the Cuyahoga River at one location within the Park. The nowcast is a mathematical system that uses easily measured environmental and water-quality “variables,” such as turbidity and rainfall, to rapidly estimate bacterial levels. Predicted bacterial levels are posted to the Ohio Nowcast website (http://ny.water.usgs.gov/maps/ohnowcast/) to provide the public with information to make informed recreational-use decisions about water quality and encourage the use of the river.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Development and implementation of a regression model for predicting recreational water quality in the Cuyahoga River, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio 2009-11
The Cuyahoga River within Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) is at times impaired for recreational use due to elevated concentrations of Escherichia coli (E. coli), a fecal-indicator bacterium. During the recreational seasons of mid-May through September during 2009–11, samples were collected 4 days per week and analyzed for E. coli concentrations at two sites within CVNP. Other water-quality an
AuthorsAmie M. G. Brady, Meg B. PlonaOccurrence of Escherichia coli in the Cuyahoga River in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio
There are several measures of the 'cleanliness' of a natural body of water, including concentrations of indicator bacteria, anthropogenic chemicals (chemicals derived from human activities), and nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorous. Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a bacterium that lives in the intestinal tract of warm-blooded animals, such as humans, deer, cows, and dogs. Most strains of E. cAuthorsAmie M. G. Brady, Meg B. PlonaMicrobiological Water Quality in Relation to Water-Contact Recreation, Cuyahoga River, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio, 2000 and 2002
The microbiological water quality of a 23-mile segment of the Cuyahoga River within the Cuyahoga Valley National Park was examined in this study. This segment of the river receives discharges of contaminated water from stormwater, combined-sewer overflows, and incompletely disinfected wastewater. Frequent exceedances of Ohio microbiological water-quality standards result in a health risk to the puAuthorsRebecca N. Bushon, G. F. Koltun - Partners
Below are partners associated with this project.