Russian River bacteria levels return to ‘acceptable’

Concerns over bacteria levels in the Russian River that led to
warnings being posted on popular local beaches mere days from the
Fourth of July weekend subsided just in time for the festivities on
some beaches.
Warning signs were posted by the Sonoma County Department of
Health Services at Johnson’s Beach in Guerneville, Monte Rio Beach,
Sunset Beach, and Veteran’s Memorial Beach in Healdsburg.
On Friday, July 3, the warnings were removed from the
Guerneville and Monte Rio Beaches, and by Sunday the signs at
Memorial and Sunset were down as well.
“It takes about 24 hours for the test results to come in, (which
led to) advisory signs being posted on the beaches on Wednesday,”
Sonoma County Environmental Health Director Walter Kruse said. “On
Thursday, the Sonoma County Water Agency did samples again leading
to Friday’s removal of the signs.”
During the summer several agencies — including the North Coast
Regional Water Quality Control Board, SCWA and even the Permit and
Resource Management Department — take routine weekly tests at six
public beaches from Healdsburg to Monte Rio, including Camp Rose
Beach, Healdsburg Memorial Beach, Steelhead Beach and Forestville
Access Beach, known as Mom’s Beach.
State health guidelines recommend warning signs be posted when
“indicator organisms” exceed 10,000 per 100 milliliters (ml) for
total coliform; 235 per 100 ml for e. coli, and 61 per 100 ml for
enterococcus.
Bacteria tests for the month of June showed enterococcus counts
at Johnson’s Beach at a peak of 139.6 per 100 ml on June 19, but by
July 2, the count had dropped back to what is considered a safe
level of 20. Memorial Beach saw a peak of 84 on July 2 that
measured at 52 the following day.
Kruse said it is difficult to determine what causes the
fluctuations and one purpose the monitoring serves, is to alert
health officials to such things as illegal discharges or spills. It
also serves to gather data on water quality in order to monitor the
overall health of the water and to assure that it is up to EPA
standards for bacteria content.
The various agencies want to reduce the probability of users
getting gastrointestinal problems.
“We post advisories so people know,” Kruse said. “When those
levels hit the upper limit we put up the signs so people can make
the choice” to stay out of the water.
But the warnings did take a toll on at least one business on the
river.
Lollie Mercer who owns River’s Edge Kayak and Canoe Trips said
the warnings definitely affected her business, leading to a loss of
“a couple of” bookings.
Mercer was frustrated because the agency doesn’t give any
warning when the signs go up.
“We had to be honest and disclose it to (our customers),” she
said. “And tell them it’s up to them (whether to take the
trips).”
Mercer is also frustrated by what she sees as mismanagement by
various agencies, although she doesn’t blame individuals who are
doing as good a job as possible given the complexity of a water
management system that is often at odds with itself.
The competing needs of environmental management, public use,
agriculture, and businesses that depend on the river are pieces of
the problems Mercer sees.
But further downstream, last week’s warnings came down just in
time to ease concerns about holiday celebration disruptions.
“They called us Friday to take the advisory notice down,” said
Roberta Pollard of the Monte Rio Recreation and Park District. “It
was really nice on the Fourth and everyone had a good time.”