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Pollutants in the Pasquotank
River
Heather Potersnak
Michael Costa
Kanika Bryant
Matt Bishop
The Problem
The five testing stations
used along the
Pasquotank River.
As we all know, the
Pasquotank River’s water
quality is exceedingly below
national standards. Not only is it
unappealing, there are several
harmful bacteria living and
growing in the water. One
extremely hazardous bacteria is
Escherichia Coli (E. coli).
E. coli
E. coli is a bacteria that lives solely in the feces of
warm blooded animals. Because of this, you may
think that there is very little chance of contracting
it. However, E. coli is mostly found in three places,
rivers and other bodies of water, human hands, and
finally our food! If infected with E. coli poisoning,
you may experience vomiting, fever, and chills.
Long- Term results may include severe
gastrointestinal illnesses.
Runoff
There are two major types of runoff. One
type is point source runoff which comes
from definite points of origin, such as
sewer pipes. However the most prominent
in our area, are non-point sources which
can originate from anywhere, such as
storm water.
How E. coli Travels
After extensive research, E. coli was found to be the single most
dominant bacteria in the Pasquotank River.
Surprisingly, Non-point source runoff is E. coli’s major
transportation. Heavy rain water sweeps urban streets, ditches,
and heavily wooded areas, carrying with it bird, farm animals, and
various other organisms feces. From there the runoff travels
downhill eventually to our rivers, where they grow into colonies.
Monthly E. coli Levels
800
700
600
500
Colonies per
100mL
400
300
200
100
0
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
*Average level is 126 colonies per 100 mL
Apr
May
Prevention
Now that we have found
an underlying problem,
preventative measures
were researched. Studies
show that thick vegetation
in certain areas greatly
reduces runoff into rivers
and streams, and if runoff
cannot reach our rivers,
neither can the E. coli
bacteria.
Further Conservation
A few additional ways to aid in the breakdown
of E. coli in our rivers:
• Plant trees along the river’s edge.
• Refrain from littering.
• Pick up any non-biodegradable waste in
your area.
• Always clean up after your animals!
Credits
www.cotf.edu
www.ecsu.edu/ECSU/AcadDept/Geology/FS
Jomepage/Dewberry.htm
www.vims.edu