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| Publications— Scientific Investigations Reports |
In cooperation with the Erie County Health Department
U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5159
By Tammy M. Zimmerman
This report is available online in Portable Document Format (PDF). If you do not have the Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader, it is available for free download from Adobe Systems Incorporated.
View the full report in PDF 1.6 MB
The Lake Erie shoreline in Pennsylvania spans nearly 40 miles and is a valuable recreational resource for Erie County.
Nearly 7 miles of the Lake Erie shoreline lies within Presque Isle State Park in Erie, Pa. Concentrations of Escherichia coli
(E. coli) bacteria at permitted Presque Isle beaches occasionally exceed the single-sample bathing-water standard, resulting in
unsafe swimming conditions and closure of the beaches.
E. coli concentrations and other water-quality and environmental data collected at Presque Isle Beach 2 during the
2004 and 2005 recreational seasons were used to develop models using tobit regression analyses to predict E. coli concentrations.
All variables statistically related to E. coli concentrations were included in the initial regression analyses, and after several
iterations, only those explanatory variables that made the models significantly better at predicting E. coli concentrations
were included in the final models. Regression models were developed using data from 2004, 2005, and the combined 2-year
dataset. Variables in the 2004 model and the combined 2004–2005 model were log10 turbidity, rain weight, wave
height (calculated), and wind direction. Variables in the 2005 model were log10 turbidity and wind direction. Explanatory
variables not included in the final models were water temperature, streamflow, wind speed, and current speed; model results
indicated these variables did not meet significance criteria at the 95-percent confidence level (probabilities were greater than
0.05). The predicted E. coli concentrations produced by the models were used to develop probabilities that concentrations
would exceed the single-sample bathing-water standard for E. coli of 235 colonies per 100 milliliters. Analysis of the
exceedence probabilities helped determine a threshold probability for each model, chosen such that the correct number of
exceedences and nonexceedences was maximized and the number of false positives and false negatives was minimized. Future
samples with computed exceedence probabilities higher than the selected threshold probability, as determined by the model,
will likely exceed the E. coli standard and a beach advisory or closing may need to be issued; computed exceedence probabilities
lower than the threshold probability will likely indicate the standard will not be exceeded. Additional data collected each
year can be used to test and possibly improve the model. This study will aid beach managers in more rapidly determining
when waters are not safe for recreational use and, subsequently, when to issue beach advisories or closings.
Abstract
Introduction
Purpose and Scope
Previous Studies
Methods of Study
Collection of Ancillary Data
Statistical Analysis
Quality Control
Monitoring Escherichia coli
Continuous Variable Analysis
Categorical Variable Analysis
Modeling to Predict Escherichia coli
Summary and Conclusions
Acknowledgments
References Cited
This report is available online in Portable Document Format (PDF). If you do not have the Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader, it is available for free download from Adobe Systems Incorporated.
View the full report in PDF 1.6 MB
For more information about USGS activities in Pennsylvania contact:
Director
USGS Pennsylvania Water Science Center
215 Limekiln Road
New Cumberland, Pennsylvania 17070
Telephone: (717) 730-6960
Fax: (717) 730-6997
or access the USGS Water Resources of Pennsylvania home page at:
http://pa.water.usgs.gov/.
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