The purpose of the RiverWatch Water Quality surveys are to determine whether or not sites along the North and South Rivers have exceeded bacteria colony concentration numbers for Massachusetts’ swimming and shellfishing standards. Enterococcus colonies were collected at ten sites along the North and South Rivers, while fecal coliform samples were collected in shellfish growing areas (none of which are open at the moment for harvest). According to Massachusetts’ swimming standards, enterococcus levels may not exceed 104 cfu per 100mL of water sampled. The Mass. Division of Marine Fisheries shellfishing standard is 14 cfu per 100mL of fecal coliform.
For samples collected on August 28th, bacteria levels for both enterococci and fecal coliform reached their lowest levels of the summer. All locations except for Keville Footbridge on the South River are now within the safe swimming standard. Keville Footbridge dropped significantly in enterococci levels but continues to exceed the Massachusetts’ swimming standard for enterococcus. Results at the Scituate Wastewater Treatment Plant were inconclusive.
Shellfish beds are closed from May 31 until November 1 so the information presented in this section is purely for informational purposes. Concentrations of fecal coliform exceeded the shellfish standard at North River Marine, Damon’s Point, the North River Mouth, and the Julian Street Bridge.
This is the last round of sampling planned for 2024. Thank you to this week’s RiverWatch volunteer Jack Sullivan and to all of our volunteers this summer. Please consider volunteering for the summer 2025 RiverWatch sampling.
Thank you to the Norwell Women’s Club and MassDEP for their financial support of this program.
