Autonomous underwater vehicle provides high-resolution observations of water quality and much more. Photo (c) Peter Berrini, HDR, Inc., used by permission.

Noteworthy

National & Regional Science:

• USGS Office of Water Quality Technical Memorandum 2013.02: Guidelines for FISP Bag Sampler Intake Efficiency Tests and Operational Velocities [275KB PDF]
• 9th National Monitoring Conference Call for Abstracts [425KB PDF] 
• Press Release: New Method Monitors Riverbed and Flows to Protect Spawning Salmon
• Fact Sheet: Integrated Synoptic Surveys Using an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle and Manned Boats
• Press Release: Decades-old Nitrate Found to Affect Stream Water Quality
• Circular 1383-G: USGS Water Science Strategy – Observing, Understanding, Predicting, and Delivering Water Science to the Nation
• OFR 2013-1054: User's Manual for the National Water Information System of the USGS

Local Science Features:

• New Hampshire: Concentrations of Chloride and Sodium in Groundwater in New Hampshire From 1960 Through 2011
• Arkansas:
  • –Press Release: No Contamination from Fayetteville Shale Exploration Found in Sampled Wells
  • –USGS Report: Shallow Groundwater Quality and Geochemistry in the Fayetteville Shale Gas-Production Area, North-Central Arkansas, 2011
  • –Journal Article: Geochemical and isotopic variations in shallow groundwater in areas of the Fayetteville shale development, north-central Arkansas 

Past listings...

Water Quality Data

National Water Information System (NWIS)

NWIS provides current and historical water-quality data.

Today's Water Conditions

Water-Quality Watch provides continuous real-time water-quality measurements.

Water-Quality Web Services

Web services automate the sharing of USGS and USEPA water-quality monitoring data.

For More Data

Additional water-quality data resources are available.

USGS in Your Area

USGS Water Science Centers are located in each state.

Chapter A7. Biological Indicators

National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data (TWRI Book 9)

7.1 Fecal Indicator Bacteria (Version 2.0, 2/2007) [1MB PDF]

By D.N. Myers, D.M. Stoeckel, R.N. Bushon, D.S. Francy, and A.M.G. Brady

Download a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.

Abstract

Fecal indicator bacteria are used to assess the microbiological quality of water because, although not typically disease causing, they are correlated with the presence of several waterborne disease-causing organisms. The concentration of indicator bacteria is a measure of water safety for body-contact recreation or for consumption. This report provides information on the equipment, sampling protocols, and identification, enumeration, and calculation procedures that are in standard use by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) personnel for the collection of data on fecal indicator bacteria.

Contents

7.1 Fecal indicator bacteria

7.1.1 - Sampling equipment and equipment sterilization procedures

7.1.2 - Sample collection, preservation, storage, and holding times

7.1.3 - Identification and enumeration methods

7.1.4 - Calculating and reporting fecal indicator bacteria densities

7.1.5 - Selected references

7.1.6 - Acknowledgments

Comments/Errata page

Return to Chapter A7 Biological Indicators Table of Contents

Return to Field Manual Table of Contents

Section 7.1 Archives

• Archive: 7.1, ver. 1.2 (1.3MB PDF)

Citation for Section 7.1

Myers, D.N., Stoeckel, D.M., Bushon, R.N., Francy, D.S., and Brady, A.M.G., 2007, Fecal indicator bacteria (ver. 2.0): U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, book 9, chap. A7, section 7.1, February, accessed __ list date __ from http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/twri9A/.