The winter water testing for the Watershed Explorers Program has been going great. All testing sites have registered dissolved oxygen readings in the fair to good range. Nitrate and phosphate have been in the good range. Turbidity has been in the fair to good range. We have had many perfect 7s for pH, and for those sites that were not 7s, the results have been in the good range. 

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The only test that has not been good is the fecal coliform bacteria. Every testing site has registered a positive test for bacteria. This bacteria is highly prevalent at all of the testing sites. These bacteria are found in the intestines of animals, so water fowl, dogs, and other creatures that inhabit or visit the water testing sites that the Watershed Explorers complete tests at can all contribute to the amount of fecal coliform that is present in the water. As much as we would rather not find fecal coliform present, it is extremely common. 

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Thank you to Amy Rojek for the wonderful photos below of the students at Community Preparatory completing their winter testing.