water quality advisories.

alk

alk

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Has anyone noticed the beach advisory signs, at Betterton, and also at Tolchester Beach? High count of enterococcus bacteria led to the advisories. Levels are high enough to neccesitate beach closings, but they only 'close' the beaches if they indentify a specific source.

We've been swimming at various spots on the Sassafras as well as Still Pond, Fairlee, etc - basically right in the middle of the problem areas. One of my kids has had a few stomach issues this summer, which we were already blaming on the water before stumbling onto the advisory. Does anybody else swin in the water around here? Any one else having any issues this summer? Started boating on the Bay four years ago, after many years over on the Jersey Coast, thinking about heading for the Ocean beaches again next summer, mostly because of this issue.

http://www.kenthd.org/pdf/Env Health/2009 Beach Advisories/Beach Advisories 8.18.09.pdf

http://www.sassafrasriver.org/whatwedo/2009_07_sassafrasupdate.pdf
 
We were on a raft up on the Bohemia 3 weeks ago when someone noticed a full turd floating by. You would think that had to come from someone in the water. Pretty gross.
 
We mostly hang out at Fairlee or Hart Miller. I did actually have a stomach issue which I saw a gastro doctor about recently. He thought it was some parasite that can be ingested in creeks or ponds. I told him about hanging out on the bay and he said that parasite wouldn't survive in the bay. Doesn't mean I guess that some other parasite or bacteria couldn't. On the other hand, my 12 year old daughter has probably ingested gallons of bay water with no problem (she has this habit of constantly taking the bay water in her mouth and spitting in out despite our constant reminder/objections to how gross that is).
 
We spent Sunday in Still Pond and suffered no ill effects. That doesn't mean that the reports are invalid, just that we haven't experienced anything unusual (like floating turds... euuucccchhh!) Reading the reports closely they do not attribute the high levels of bacteria to any particular source but I would support the theory that all the wet weather and heavy rains we've had this year and the accompaning run-off is likely the primary contributor.
 
No problems so far, including the healing of the odd scapes and cuts I always seem to accumulate. Lloyd Creek, Still Pond Creek, Sand Island, Dobbins Island all OK for me.
 
Kentmore Park has had a few and it doesn't seem to stop the kids. It certainly doesn't stop me from wading to the jet ski, boat etc.
 
quote:
Originally posted by alk

Click to expand...


I've been told through the years by locals that some of the homes in the vicinity of Kentmore Park have septic systems that are faulty. The county doesn't have the funds to test where the problem is coming from so they hang signs...
 
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