4th of July Weekend 2015 Sand Bar Water Quality Testing Results
Three Lakes Association and Torch Lake Protection Alliance
Prepared by Becky Norris and Trish Narwold
July 20, 2015

Three Lakes Association Water Quality Chair, Becky Norris and Torch Lake Protection Alliance Board Member Gary Petty collecting water samples on July 3rd, 2015 the Sand Bar.

Over the years, The Three Lakes Association and Torch Lake Protection Alliance have received concerns from their members regarding the Sand Bar party over the Fourth of July weekends. Concerns have been raised by members over potentially unsafe water conditions for the party participants and the adjacent lakeshore owners.

Since 2004, the DEQ has posted water testing from the Health Department of Northwest Michigan in Torch Lake at 3 sites, Torch River Bridge, Torch Lake Village and Eastport. Water testing occurs midweek and results take 28 hours before posting on the website (http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,4561,7-135-3313_3681_3686_3730-11005–,00.html). This year, the DEQ is testing 2 sites Eastport and Torch Lake Village Day Park (results can be found at www.deq.state.mi.us/beach/). None of these sites captures water quality for the Sand Bar.

In light of the absence of water quality information on the Sand Bar, a study was jointly undertaken by the Three Lakes Association and the Torch Lake Protection Alliance over this Fourth of July weekend. The purpose was to determine the impact of high human occupancy during the holiday on E. coli and ammonia levels in the Torch Lake water near the Sand Bar. This study was neither requested nor sanctioned by any agency of the state or local government. The two organizations that undertook the study have no authority and no obligation to issue health warnings or beach closure advisories. Water sampling was performed by volunteers knowledgeable in water sampling techniques and SOS Analytical in Traverse City processed the samples.

E. coli is used as an indicator for fecal matter and other potentially harmful, disease-causing pathogens that may be present in the tested water. Sources of fecal matter can be caused by storm water runoff, septic system failures, animal waste, varying temperatures and the frequency of swimmers. If E. coli is found in one section of the water, it may not be in the entire lake. The Michigan Public Health Code states that at no time shall the water for total body contact recreation contain more than a maximum of 300 E. coli per 100 ml. At this level, the water is potentially hazardous to human health. Ammonia is an indication of urine pollution. No harmful ammonia standards in recreational water bodies for Michigan are known to us.

Water samples for E. coli analysis were collected from 12 sites and water samples for ammonia were collected from 3 of those sites. Sampling sites were located around the shallow western portion of the Sand Bar and the western public access site on Crystal Beach Road. Volunteers collected water samples over 3 days (July 3, 4 and 5th) at both 9am and 4pm.

Samples should be kept refrigerated and delivered to the laboratory within 6 hours of sampling. As the laboratory was closed over the weekend, water samples were kept refrigerated and delivered on Monday, July 6. The additional holding time of the water samples could have caused E. coli counts to drop. Human occupancy of the Sand Bar was present at all sampling times, the lowest number of people and boats were present during the morning sampling times and highest during the afternoon sampling time on July 4th.

Both morning and afternoon water samples on July 3rd and the morning water samples on July 4th ranged from 0-7 E. coli counts cfu/100ml. E. coli counts increased in the water samples collected during the afternoon of July 4th and the morning and afternoon water samples on July 5. Most of the water samples had E. coli counts that ranged from 7-185 cfu/100ml but two water samples had E. coli counts above 300 cfu/100 ml (one at 308 cfu/100 ml and one at 1300 cfu/100 ml).

The detection level for ammonia in the water samples was 0.05 mg/L. One water sample had a detectable level of ammonia ( 0.07 mg/L.)

Further interpretation of these results and recommendations will be available on the sponsors’ web sites.