I took our first 2010 water samples Friday, April 16, at 11 am.  Here are the “preliminary” results:
#1        Dock                        6 cfu
#2        Cedar Fork Creek   below 4 cfu
#3        Booker Creek         14 cfu

Caution level is individual reading above 400 cfu, or average above 200 cfu. 
 
These readings are at the low end of the “safe” range. As usual, I will not revise this posting unless the “official” results turn out to be something different.

Lake water temp: 20-21C,    68-60F

The SECCI clarity reading was 38 inches. That is very clear for our lake.
 
The water was very cool as I went to take the tests.  I met a neighbor coming out,  and her preschooler had just been in the water.  It can warm up quickly near the shore on a sunny day.  That is why I decided to take a pre-season test this early in the year.
 
It looks like the geese have discovered the new dock.  Our fecal coliform counts followed the distribution of geese in the lake at the time of the test, with the highest count being near where I observed the most geese and ducks.  On the other hand,  the lowest count was near an area where there was a concern about an accumulation of goose waste in an almost blocked tributary last week. If we get a significant rain and this get flushed into the lake, I would recommend staying near the beach if you go in the water.   The dam is the most downstream point in the lake, and anything that enters the lake will be at its most dilute (lowest concentration), by the time it reaches that area.
 
Regarding “flushing” the accumulations of waste from the tributaries if we don’t get rain, OWASA has to test and purge the hydrant lines on a regular basis.  Perhaps we could ask if they could adjust their testing schedule to provide a secondary benefit?
 
Chuck Henage
chenagemht@aol.com