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BRATTLEBORO -- To mark the fifth year of sampling water along the Connecticut River, the Watershed Council has partnered with Pioneer Valley Planning Commission to produce a new website -- www.ConnecticutRiver.us -- that offers guidance about whether the water is clean enough for swimming and boating relative to the weekly bacteria levels.
By consulting the site, people will be able to make informed decisions to prevent potential illness. Generally, bacteria levels are elevated after a storm event due to combined sewer overflows and stormwater runoff from urban, suburban and agricultural areas, according to a release from the Watershed Council. "Experts recommend staying out of the water for 24 to 48 hours after a storm event due to the likelihood of elevated bacteria levels," the release states.
Volunteers who make up the water sampling team monitor the Connecticut River and several tributaries for E. coli bacteria levels at more than 30 locations from southern Vermont to southern Massachusetts. Partner organizations include the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, the Connecticut River Watershed Council, Millers River Watershed Council, Southeastern Vermont Watershed Alliance, and Putney Rowing Club. Monitoring takes place on Wednesdays or Thursdays from June through the first week of October.
For more information, visit www.ConnecticutRiver.us.
