Effect of Land Uses at Different Scales and Water Quality Regulations on

Escherichia coli and Total Phosphorous in Thatcher Brook Watershed

Introduction

Method
Water quality data
s
Three samples per visit for each of the six chosen monitoring stations, after

This research was made in Thatcher Brook sub-watershed located in Waterbury,

VT, during June to August 2010. The stream ends on the Winooski River, that
discharges between Burlington Bay and Shelburne Bay in Lake Champlain.
Many local and national efforts by professionals and volunteers have been
monitoring water quality to identify sources of pollution, to understand water
quality conditions and effects on many systems in our world such as natural,
biological communities, and human system including towns cities, industries
and agriculture (Hill.H 2000 vii) that depend on water.
The water quality of a stream can be affected by point and nonpoint source of
pollution. Contaminants from nonpoint sources at different distances from the
stream can reach water bodies by meteorology, underground water flows, but
most directly by the runoff of sediments and nutrients in the predominant
activities and land uses near the stream. Activities at variables buffers distance
may explain why studies have found that E.coli and phosphorous have more
significant relationship with urban land use and others with agricultural land
uses, although all streams are different. Commonly, human and animal sewage
containing faces and others pollutants enter water bodies by lack of planning in
buffer activities. Streams vegetation buffers infiltrate and absorb pollutants,
sediments in runoff and prevent erosion by holding the river bank with the
roots. Often precipitation events facilitated runoffs and erosion to occur,
depositing directly sediments that transports E.coli and phosphorous from the
soils, agriculture and human activities to waters, along the stream columns.
The source of pollutants that most contributed in a stream can be detected, but
no as one direct explanation, is a combination of different factors that often
come from several sources.
E.coli and phosphorous regulations are often established to prevent
eutrophication, epidemical deceases, protect and assign drinking, recreational
and uses of waters. The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
recommends using the IDEXX Colilert System to measure E.coli concentration,
that normally are not harmful themselves, but they work as an indicator of
some bacterial pathogens presence. EPA Implement some regulation standard
to improve public health, since some studies have shown that the presence of
E.coli has a strong relationship with gastrointestinal illness, diarrhea, infections
and respiratory problems. The State of Vermont Natural Resources Board
implements water quality parameters of phosphorous loading standards for
different
of water
bodies. and
Phosphorous
concentration
Comparetypes
Escherichia
coli (E.coli)
total phosphorous
(TP) can affect
significantly
streams
at low concentrations
its found
in nature as organic
field samples
concentrations
with some and
established
federal
and
forms. High level off phosphorous sets perfect conditions for
andinorganic
state regulations
plants
and algae grow accelerated causing lack of dissolved oxygen in the
Analyze
the effect of urban, agriculture and forest with
water that fishes, invertebrates and other aquatic life need to survive.

two rainy days.

Stream Projects laboratory measured: E.coli (MPN/100ml) by IDEXX Colilert
System, and Dissolved Suspended Orthophosphate method for Phosphorous
(ug/L).
GIS data source
ArcGIS, the land-uses mapped by visual interpretation of orthophotography
of the National Agricultural Imagery program (NAIP); black and white digital
orthophotography quadrangles provided by Vermont Mapping Program.
(SOP) procedures: adapted from Anderson et al. (1976) LULC class
description of land uses table; land use support images from
(http://www.uvm.edu/~joneildu/LULC/)
2000 census blocks, 2007 and 2008 emergency sites (E-911) of Vermont:
http://www.vcgi.org
Water quality standards data
Single sample standards for E.coli; effective on July 2, 2000
http://www.uvm.edu/envnr/sal/ecoli/pages/waterqu.htm
Phosphorous loading standard criteria; State of Vermont Natural Resources
Board Water Resources Panel Vermont Water Quality Standards (Vt. Code R.
12 004 052) http://www.nrb.state.vt.us/wrp/publications/wqs.pdf
GIS variables calculation (for each chosen sites)
Population; (census blocks population blocks area) X (catchment area).
New development; count of E-911 (2008 points - 2007 points).
Area (m2) and fraction calculation for each of land-use classifications in the
catchment, 100, 50 and 25 meter buffer along the stream network: Urban
(urban general, urban transportation) Agriculture (agriculture general,
hay/crop and orchards) Forest (coniferous, deciduous, mixed, wetlandforested and brush) Water. Others(wetland emergent, wetland scrub/shrub
and barren)
PASW statistics 18Analysis
E.coli and Phosphorous data are set individually with all GIS-derived variables
in a stepwise linear regression to determinate what model has the most
significantly affect the water quality
Standards (for each chosen sites) Phosphorous
Compare the 36 samples of E.coli with federal
and states
single
sample
Agricultural
area
within
a 50 meter buffer
standards.
provided the best model to explain TP
Compare the Avg. TP concentration with Burlington Bay and Shelburne Bay
contribution in the stream.
loading criteria.

should implement control techniques in their activities

as non-phosphorous fertilizers, prevent surface runoff,
erosion and drainage by implanting, tree borders and
artificial impoundments, especially for buffer zones in
25 and 50 meters from the stream.
Agriculture and urban percents increase, downstream
and the percent of forest and water quality decreases.
The inverse relationship might indicate may cause that
runoffs from urban impervious surface might get to the
streams columns, passing through
agricultural and
urban areas in the buffer without the presence of
vegetation that absorb and infiltrate pollutants, also
Phosphorous
concentration
averages
appeared
to be
human and livestock
population
increment
affect water
over
the regulations, but, the samples were taken
quality.

after precipitation. For further conclusion sampling

plan should take more often samples, for longer
periods and in variables weather condition.

The E.coli samples exceed all simple sample

regulations. Recreational waters in Thatcher might
be hazardous for swimmers. The water must be
treated in wastewater facilities in order to assign it
recreational or drinkable use. For more information
and further analysis, samples should be taken as
EPA geometric mean specified.
What EPA will do?

Resu
lts

Objectiv
es

Escherichia coli and total phosphorous with different

measurements and scales.

Discussi
The of the multi scale landscape and land uses analysis,
on
suggest a better planning in buffer activities. Farmers

Relationship between the Avg. E.coli (MPN) with Agricultural Area (m) in a 25 meters Buffer

Relationship between Total Phosphorous (TP) with Agricultural Area (m) in a 50 meter Buffer

450
400
350
300
250
Avg. E.coli (MPN/100ml))
200
150
100
50
0

f(x) = 0x + 23.12
R = 0.92
f(x) = 0x + 4.35
R = 0.88

The model values are: (R2=.881), f statistic of

29.667, y=00001x+4.3457 within a confidence
interval of 95%.
2/6 monitoring sites exceed the phosphorous
criteria loading of 14 ug/l for Burlington Bay
E.coli
Shelburne
Bay. within a 25 meter buffer
and
Agricultural
areas
provided the best model to explain E.coli
contribution in the stream.
The model values are: (R2 = .919), f statistic of
45.093, y=0.0008x+23.123 within a confidence
interval of 95%.
66%
of
the
samples
exceed
the77
(MPN/100ml).Vermont
Standard
for
Single
Sample, predict that 4/1000 swimmers will
become ill.
55% of samples exceed 143(MPN/100 ml).
Vermont Water Quality Recommended Revisions
Standards for a single sample.
44% of the samples exceed the235 (MPN/100ml).
EPA Standard for Single Sample, predict that
8/1000 swimmers will become ill.
30% of the samples exceed the 406(MPN/100ml).
Oregon Standard for Single Sample, not save for
swimmers.

Referenc
Furon,R.(1967).The Problem Of Water. New York, New York: American Elsevier Publishing Company, Inc
es
Lyon,J.(Ed.).(2003).GIS for Water Resources and Watershed Management. New Fetter Lane, London: Taylor

and Francis.
U.S .Department of Interior, U.S. Geological Survey,(2003).A Synoptic Study of Fecal-Indicators Bacteria on
the Wind River, Bighorn River, and Goose Creek Basins, Wyoming,June-July2000.(Water-Resources
Investigation Report 03-4055).Cheyenne, Wyoming
EPA(2003) Survey Of States, Tribes and Territories Nutrients Standard. Retrieved from
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/wqssp/nutrients/docs/state_standards.pdf
State of Vermont Natural Resources Board Water Resources Panel.(2008) Vermont Water Quality Standards:
Retrieved from http://www.nrb.state.vt.us/wrp/publications/wqs.pdf
Gregorich,L.(2000).The Health of our Water. Ottawa, Canada: Donna Dewan
Sargent .D.(2000). Bacteria water Quality .University of Vermont: retrieved from
http://www.uvm.edu/envnr/sal/ecoli/pages/waterqu.htm

Acknowledgm
Thanksents
to Vermont EPSCoR Stream Project and staff for the opportunity and

facilities, especially Lexie Hexelton for being kindness, amicable and

available. Also thank to Prof. Jorge Ortiz and Dra.Patricia Gonzalez that make
this opportunity possible. I would also like to thank Rossana Gonzalez Muoz
and Eamon Harrity who helped along the way.