Special Events

The Dakota Water Watch

Jeanne Fromm is Water Resource

Specialist at  East Dakota Water

Development District in Brookings,

and coordinates Dakota Water Watch.

Jeanne is also the newest member

                              of SDL&SA.  Welcome aboard, Jeanne!!                                        

The Dakota Water Watch is a continuation of the Volunteer Monitoring Program initiated in the early 1990’s by SDL&SA.  The Bacterial Monitoring Project, managed by Jeanne Fromm as a Pilot project started by  EDWDD AND SDL&SA in 2007. 

Background of the Volunteer Monitoring Project

     President Don Marquardt, in his Annual Update of SDL&SA in the April, 1997 “Statewide Water News” indicated that “we plan to continue the Citizen’s Monitoring Program…”  Another article mentions that the Citizen’s Monitoring program has been in operation for several years (prior to ’97).  Jane Wittmeier was “Citizen Monitoring Chairperson in 1997.  Kristie Maher joined Jane in Spring, 1998, and Anne Lewis replaced Kristie Maher later in 1998.  Citizen’s Monitoring, Lake Liaison, Storm Drain Stenciling, and Adopt-a-Stream joined into the “Special Projects Division” in Spring, 1999, with Anne Lewis in charge working out of The Discovery Center, Pierre.  Anne coordinated the Volunteer Monitoring Program until 2006.

Bacterial Monitoring Project Summary

   The Bacteria Monitoring Project established 60 monitoring sites on standing and flowing waters in the central Big Sioux watershed in seven of the eight areas indicated in the contract.  Most volunteers monitored lakes (29 sites) and staff monitored streams and rivers.  Protocols for field monitoring, sample site documentation, sample collection and transport, culturing, and culture interpretation were prepared prior to the field season.  The project recruited, trained, and supported 32 volunteers who monitored 215 times between March and October of 2007.  Staff monitored 60 times.   

          The project collected 295 samples for bacteriological analysis-205 from standing waters and 90 from flowing waters.  Sampling occurred under dry-weather (84% of samples) conditions on a monthly basis between April and October and after 1-3 storm events (16% of samples).  Field samples included 6% blanks, 8% duplicates, and 2% resamples.  Samples were delivered to three mini-labs established in Watertown, Brookings, and Madison where 473 cultures were prepared using 3M Petrifilm™ and/or Coliscan® Easygel® methods.  The average cold-holding time was 3 hours.  The mini-labs prepared 10 laboratory blanks.  Colony forming units (CFU) per 100 mL of total coliform and Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria were determined after 24 hours of incubation at 35EC.  The project sent 51 split samples to the South Dakota State Health Lab (SDSHL) where 144 cultures were prepared using Coliscan Eagygel-MF and other methods.  The mini-labs also split and cultured samples to compare different methods.

     Roughly half (56%) of the lake cultures contained no E. coli and most (71%) of the stream cultures exceeded the EPA recommendation for single-sample E. coli maximum for intense swimming use (235 CFU/100 mL).  About 11% of standing water cultures exceeded 235 CFU/100 mL.  South Dakota uses fecal coliform, not E. coli, as a recreational water use measure.  E. coli concentrations increased in samples collected under wet-weather conditions.  All blank samples cultured NO coliform or E. coli bacteria.  When compared to SDSHL cultures, the volunteer methods, Coliscan Eagygel and 3M Petrifilm™, agreed that standards were exceeded 90 and 94 percent of the time, respectively.

     Project data was stored in an electronic database (EXCEL).  Volunteers mailed all field and lab datasheets to project coordinator on a monthly basis.  Ongoing review of datasheets and database entry helped identify field method errors and data entry mistakes.  Project updates; prepared in June, August, and October; were sent to all volunteers and reported culture results for each sample site, provided guidance on interpreting the results, reinforced some training elements, and helped coordinate the project.  The database was used to analyze and compare the data.  Pre- and post-project tests indicated that most volunteers learned from the project.  Ongoing ease-of-use assessments showed that volunteers quickly found field and lab methods easy to use.  Project results were shared with the larger community via newspaper articles and presentations to lake groups. 

   Participants demonstrated a commitment to the sampling schedule and carefully followed sampling methodologies over the seven-month field season.  Volunteers had a strong interest in information pertaining to health risks in recreational waters.  Data analysis and intermethod comparisons suggest that both culture techniques are good tools to “screen” for high levels of E. coli bacteria.  With some adjustments, the more “sensitive” Coliscan Easygel method could generate statistically meaningful counts at concentrations near the EPA recommendations for seasonal average (126 CFU/100 mL) and single sample maximum (235 CFU/100 mL) for E. coli.

   Dakota Water Watch will continue to work individuals and groups that are interested in bacteria monitoring.  New programs will be offered at several sites and existing programs will be supported.  Contact Jeanne Fromm, 605/588-6611, for more information.

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