I have placed a link to the “Final 2010 Interim Report on the Lake George Coliform Monitoring Program”. This is prepared by the Darrin Fresh Water Institute. This report summarizes their coliform tests throughout the 2010 season at a number of spots on Lake George.
“The Coliform Monitoring Program focuses on a series of locations that have shown chronically high levels of coliform bacteria in past years with routine surveillance sampling of other locations also included. For 2010, synoptic sampling of public bathing beaches on a two week basis is also included in the program. In addition to samples collected at the lake-shore, a series of samples are collected up the watershed by the Lake George Park Commission to locate and remediate specific sources of bacterial pollution.”
The locations in the town of Dresden that were sampled can be found on page 5 of the report.
In the email which accompanied this report, Mr. Lawrence Eichler of the Darrin Fresh Water Institute explains some of the heightened levels found at certain areas.
We collected additional samples in the south basin at Huddle Beach Brook and South Sawmill Bay Brook in Bolton. We have also collected samples with elevated bacterial levels in Lake George at East Brook at the outlet of Greens Pond. None of the FC/Enterococci ratios suggest a human source, however we will continue to monitor these location. The extensive wildlife populations present in wetland areas may account for bacteria present in these sites.
In the North Basin we collected additional samples at Cook Bay South Culvert, Temple Island Culvert, Stags Leap Brook, and Hearts Bay Culvert. A decaying goose carcass was removed from Stags Leap Brook and may account for the single elevated bacterial sample. A horse pasture is present in the drainage of the Hearts Bay Culvert, possibly accounting for the bacterial counts there. We will continue to monitor these sites and assist the Lake George Park Commission in on-site investigations at selected locations.
All beach samples continued to meet NYS DOH standards for contact recreation.
If you want to learn more about coliform levels in Lake George, read the entire report.