Eect

of Land Uses at Dierent Scales and Water Quality Regula:ons on

Escherichia coli and Total Phosphorous in Thatcher Brook Watershed
Introduc)on

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 na:onal eorts by professionals and volunteers
have been monitoring water quality to iden:fy sources of pollu:on, to understand water quality
condi:ons and eects on many systems in our world such as natural, biological communi:es, and
human system including towns ci:es, industries and agriculture (Hill.H 2000 vii) that depend on
water.
The water quality of a stream can be aected by point and nonpoint source of pollu:on.
Contaminants from nonpoint sources at dierent distances from the stream can reach water
bodies by meteorology, underground water ows, but most directly by the runo of sediments
and nutrients in the predominant ac:vi:es and land uses near the stream. Ac:vi:es at variables
buers distance may explain why studies have found that E.coli and phosphorous have more
signicant rela:onship with urban land use and others with agricultural land uses, although all
streams are dierent. Commonly, human and animal sewage containing faces and others
pollutants enter water bodies by lack of planning in buer ac:vi:es. Streams vegeta:on buers
inltrate and absorb pollutants, sediments in runo and prevent erosion by holding the river bank
with the roots. OZen precipita:on events facilitated runos and erosion to occur, deposi:ng
directly sediments that transports E.coli and phosphorous from the soils, agriculture and human
ac:vi:es to waters, along the stream columns. The source of pollutants that most contributed in a
stream can be detected, but no as one direct explana:on, is a combina:on of dierent factors that
oZen come from several sources.
E.coli and phosphorous regula:ons are oZen established to prevent eutrophica:on, epidemical
deceases, protect and assign drinking, recrea:onal and uses of waters. The U.S Environmental
Protec:on Agency (EPA) recommends using the IDEXX Colilert System to measure E.coli
concentra:on, that normally are not harmful themselves, but they work as an indicator of some
bacterial pathogens presence. EPA Implement some regula:on standard to improve public health,
since some studies have shown that the presence of E.coli has a strong rela:onship with
gastrointes:nal illness, diarrhea, infec:ons and respiratory problems. The State of Vermont
Natural Resources Board implements water quality parameters of phosphorous loading standards
for dierent types of water bodies. Phosphorous concentra:on can aect signicantly streams at
low concentra:ons and its found in nature as organic and inorganic forms. High level o

phosphorous sets perfect condi:ons for plants and algae grow accelerated causing lack of
dissolved oxygen in the water that shes, invertebrates and other aqua:c life need to survive.

Objec)ves

Compare Escherichia coli (E.coli) and total phosphorous (TP) eld samples
concentra:ons with some established federal and state regula:ons
Analyze the eect of urban, agriculture and forest with Escherichia coli and
total phosphorous with dierent measurements and scales.

Results
Most Significantly Affect
Escherichia coli

Most Significantly Affect

Total Phosphorous

Agricultural area in a 25m buffer

.919
y=0.0008x+23.123
45.093
95%
.0008

Agricultural area in a 50m buffer

.881
y= .00001x+4.3457
29.667
95%
.00001

Phosphorous
Agricultural area within a 50 meter buer provided the
best model to explain TP contribu:on in the stream.
The model values are: (R2=.881), f sta:s:c of 29.667,
y=00001x+4.3457 within a condence interval of 95%.
2/6 monitoring sites exceed the phosphorous criteria
loading of 14 ug/l for Burlington Bay and Shelburne Bay.

Rela)onship between Total Phosphorous (TP)

with Agricultural Area (m) in a 50 meter Buer
20

400

18

350

15
Avg. TP(ug/L)

450

300

y = 0.0008x + 23.123
R = 0.9185

200
150

13

E.coli

y = .00001x + 4.3457
R = 0.8812

10
8
5

100

50

0
0

100000

200000
300000
Area (m)

400000

500000

200000

400000

600000

800000

1000000

1200000

Area (m)

Water quality standards

for A.vg or # of samples
measured in the water
column of Thatcher Book
monitoring sites.
Exceed77(MPN/100ml)
Vermont Standard for
Single Sample

Avg. or #
Samples
at1251
feet of
elevation

Avg. or #
Samples
at 674
feet of
elevation

Avg. or #
Samples
at 639
feet of
elevation

Avg. or #
Samples
at 588
feet of
elevation

Avg. or #
Samples
at 496
feet of
elevation

Avg. or #
Samples
at 398
feet of
elevation

Overall
Six
Sites

2/6

2/6
samples

4/6
samples

4/6
samples

6/6
samples

6/6
samples

24/36
samples

Exceed 143(MPN/100 ml)

Vermont Water Quality
Recommended Revisions
Standards for a single sample.

0/6
samples

0/6
samples

4/6
samples

4/6
samples

6/6
samples

6/6
samples

20/36
samples

Exceed 235(MPN/100ml)
EPA Standard for Single
Sample
Exceed406(MPN/100ml)
Oregon Standard for Single
Sample (2 highest of US)
Exceed Phosphorus
Criterion 14 ug/l for
Burlington Bay and
Shelburne Bay

N/A

N/A

3/6
samples

2/6
samples

5/6
samples

6/6
samples

16/36
samples

N/A

N/A

2/6
samples

1/6
samples

4/6
samples

4/6
samples

11/36
samples

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Avg.
17.68

Avg.
14.49

2/6
sites

further conclusion sampling plan should take more oZen

samples, for longer periods and in variables weather condi:on.

The E.coli samples exceed all simple sample regula:ons.
Recrea:onal waters in Thatcher might be hazardous for
swimmers. The water must be treated in wastewater facili:es in
order to assign it recrea:onal or drinkable use. For more
informa:on and further analysis, samples should be taken as EPA
geometric mean specied.
What EPA will do?

Rela)onship between the Avg. E.coli (MPN)

with Agricultural Area (m) in a 25 meters
Buer

250

The of the mul: scale landscape and land uses analysis, suggest a
berer planning in buer ac:vi:es. Farmers should implement control
techniques in their ac:vi:es as non-phosphorous fer:lizers, prevent
surface runo, erosion and drainage by implan:ng, tree borders and
ar:cial impoundments, especially for buer 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
rela:onship might indicate may cause that runos from urban
impervious surface might get to the streams columns, passing
through agricultural and urban areas in the buer without the
presence of vegeta:on that absorb and inltrate pollutants, also
human and livestock popula:on increment aect water quality.

Phosphorous
concentra:on averages appeared to be over the

regula:ons, but, the samples were taken aZer precipita:on. For

Water quality data

Three samples per visit for each of the six chosen monitoring sta:ons, aZer 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 interpreta:on of orthophotography of the Na:onal
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 descrip:on of land uses table;
land use support images from (h#p://www.uvm.edu/~joneildu/LULC/)
2000 census blocks, 2007 and 2008 emergency sites (E-911) of Vermont: h#p://www.vcgi.org
Water quality standards data
Single sample standards for E.coli; eec:ve on July 2, 2000 h#p://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) h#p://
www.nrb.state.vt.us/wrp/publicaAons/wqs.pdf
GIS variables calcula)on (for each chosen sites)
Popula:on; (census blocks popula:on blocks area) X (catchment area).
New development; count of E-911 (2008 points - 2007 points).
Area (m2) and frac:on calcula:on for each of land-use classica:ons in the catchment, 100, 50
and 25 meter buer along the stream network: Urban (urban general, urban transporta:on)
Agriculture (agriculture general, hay/crop and orchards) Forest (coniferous, deciduous, mixed,
wetland-forested and brush) Water. Others(wetland emergent, wetland scrub/shrub and barren)
PASW sta)s)cs 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 signicantly aect the water quality
Standards (for each chosen sites)
Compare the 36 samples of E.coli with federal and states single sample standards.
Compare the Avg. TP concentra:on with Burlington Bay and Shelburne Bay loading criteria.

All Variables
R2
Formula
F-statistic
Confidence interval
P-Value

Avg. E.coli (MPN/100ml))

URBAN
Total of Urban Area
Total Fraction of Urban
Urban Area in 100m Buffer
Fraction of Urban in 100m Buffer
Urban Area in 50m Buffer
Fraction of Urban in 50m Buffer
Urban Area in 25m Buffer
Fraction of Urban in 25m Buffer
New Development
Population
AGRICULTURE
Total of Agricultural Area
Total Fraction of Agricultural
Agricultural Area in 100m Buffer
Fraction of Agriculture in 100m Buffer
Agricultural Area in 50m Buffer
Fraction of Agriculture in 50m Buffer
Agricultural Area in 25m Buffer
Fraction of Agriculture in 25m Buffer
FOREST
Total Forested Area
Total Fraction of Forest
Forested Area in 100m Buffer
Fraction of Forest in 100m Buffer
Forested Area in 50m Buffer
Fraction of Forest in 50m Buffer
Forested Area in 25m Buffer
Fraction of Forest in 25m Buffer

Methods

Group of Variables for the

Stepwise Regression

VARIABLES IN EACH OF THE SIX CATCHMENT

Discussion

References

Furon,R.(1967).The Problem Of Water. New York, New York: American Elsevier Publishing Company, Inc
Lyon,J.(Ed.).(2003).GIS for Water Resources and Watershed Management. New Ferer Lane, London: Taylor and Francis.
U.S .Department of Interior, U.S. Geological Survey,(2003).A SynopAc Study of Fecal-Indicators Bacteria on the Wind River, Bighorn
River, and Goose Creek Basins, Wyoming,June-July2000.(Water-Resources InvesAgaAon Report 03-4055).Cheyenne, Wyoming
EPA(2003) Survey Of States, Tribes and Territories Nutrients Standard. Retrieved from hrp://www.dep.state..us/water/wqssp/
nutrients/docs/state_standards.pdf
State of Vermont Natural Resources Board Water Resources Panel.(2008) Vermont Water Quality Standards: Retrieved from hrp://
www.nrb.state.vt.us/wrp/publica:ons/wqs.pdf
Gregorich,L.(2000).The Health of our Water. Orawa, Canada: Donna Dewan
Sargent .D.(2000). Bacteria water Quality .University of Vermont: retrieved from
hrp://www.uvm.edu/envnr/sal/ecoli/pages/waterqu.htm

Agricultural areas within a 25 meter buer provided the best

model to explain E.coli contribu:on in the stream.
The model values are: (R2 = .919), f sta:s:c of 45.093,
y=0.0008x+23.123 within a condence 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.
Thanks to Vermont EPSCoR Stream Project and sta for the opportunity and facili:es,
30% of the samples exceed the 406(MPN/100ml). Oregon especially Lexie Hexelton for being kindness, amicable and available. Also thank to Prof. Jorge
Standard for Single Sample, not save for swimmers.
Or:z and Dra.Patricia Gonzalez that make this opportunity possible. I would also like to thank

Acknowledgments

Rossana Gonzalez Muoz and Eamon Harrity who helped along the way.