By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
HAMPTON – Fecal bacteria advisories which warn swimmers of health issues, have been lifted at Hampton Beach just in time for the weekend, while problems persist at some other beaches, state officials said Friday.
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The state Department of Environmental Services, which tests and monitors both freshwater and saltwater bodies across the state during the swimming months has had a summer so far with very few reports of cyanobacteria compared to last summer but more warnings due to the higher than normal presence of fecal bacteria.
Jim Martin, spokesman for the department said he just spoke to a number of staff about the trends and noted the results have fluctuated at Hampton by week, “though counts are not alarmingly high.”
“The counts that led to advisories were above our threshold, but not at a level of major concern,” he said.
Asked why it seems there have been more advisories at Hampton this summer, he said, “We are pursuing various avenues of investigation, looking at ocean currents, checking in with local infrastructure managers, runoff patterns, and local data sets on weather and other parameters. Nothing has been flagged yet.
“These levels and rates of slightly elevated Enterococci are likely indicative of discrete events related to bird/wildlife/bather load, and seem to be lower threshold and short-lived based on our sampling. We are continuing to work up data to see if we find a pattern, but again, nothing has emerged yet,” Martin said in an email.
Results are just in from retests yesterday for Hampton, and they are all low, so advisories are being lifted for the weekend.
Current fecal bacteria advisories are still posted, however, as of 4 p.m. for Jenness Beach State Park in Rye issued on July 22; Wentworth State Park Beach, issued on July 24; Foss Beach, issued on the same day; the day use beach at Bear Brook State Park, issued Friday; the Troy Town Beach, issued on Friday as well; Leavitt Park Beach issued on July 24; Center Harbor Town Beach issued on July 24; and FB Argue Recreation Area Beach on July 22.
The Beach Inspection Program monitors public beaches for the presence of fecal bacteria from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
A beach advisory is issued when a water sample contains fecal bacteria levels that exceed the state standard, indicating unhealthy swimming conditions.
Enterococci is used as the indicator of fecal bacteria at coastal beaches while E. coli is used at freshwater beaches.
A coastal beach advisory is issued if 1 sample exceeds 104 MPN/100 mL.
A freshwater beach advisory is issued if 1 sample exceeds 158 MPN/100 mL or 2 samples exceed 88 MPN/100 mL.
Once an advisory is issued, resampling will occur the following day and will continue until the fecal bacteria levels do not exceed the state standard.
Currently there are no reported watches or warnings for cyanobacteria in the state.
The Cyanobacteria Harmful Algal Bloom Program monitors water bodies when a potential cyanobacteria bloom is reported by a member of the public.
The NHDES says a cyanobacteria warning is usually issued lake-wide when cyanobacteria cell concentrations exceed 70,000 cells/mL at multiple locations.
Warnings are not based on toxin evaluation but occur at cyanobacteria cell count densities when toxin production may be likely. These are intended as a precautionary measure for short-term exposure to cyanotoxins. When a warning is issued, resampling is performed weekly until the bloom subsides.
Cyanobacteria warnings are issued from May 15 through October 15.
A watch may also be issued for a waterbody to serve as a statement to be on the watch for a potential cyanobacteria bloom. Sometimes watches become warnings, and sometimes the bloom will pass before a warning is issued. Watches remain active for a week. Resampling only occurs if further bloom reports are submitted.
Watches are issued year-round as needed.
A watch may be issued based upon a photo before NHDES can analyze a sample; if the cyanobacteria density is approaching 70,000 cell/mL but has not exceeded; if the cyanobacteria density is 70,000 cells/mL at only one location; or if the bloom has been reported to have passed by the time sample analysis is performed but may reoccur.