The 20th annual Symposium will be held on Thursday, April 23, 2009.

Associations between Livestock Farms and Rice Creek’s Health: A Microbiological Examination
Norris 100, 3:45 PM

Molly  Estill,   '09 19
   Majors: French, Biology
   Hometown: Romeo, MI

Sponsor(s): Ola Olapade
Support: FURSCA-Richard Bethune Student Research Fellowship

Abstract: 
The Rice Creek Watershed, covering eastern Calhoun County and western Jackson County, serves as a major agricultural drain for those Michigan counties. Preliminary studies on the Rice Creek Watershed have shown that some aspects of the pollution in Rice Creek stem from the presence of livestock farms along the channel of the creek. In this study, the impact of livestock farms adjacent to Rice Creek on the health of the creek was quantified using standard microbiological techniques. The amount of bacterial populations, specifically of E. coli and other coliforms, in the creek were measured using membrane filter [MF] and viable plate counts approaches. Water parameters, such as temperature and oxygen content were measured using the YSI multi-parameter meter. Concentrations of inorganic nutrients (i.e. nitrogen and phosphorous) within the creek were also determined colorimetrically.

In summary, bacterial abundance were observed to increase between sampling locations both upstream and downstream of livestock farms and also during periods of precipitation (with concomitant increase in nutrient concentrations). Each of the three river sites examined appeared to have unique patterns of bacterial and nutrient dynamics Generally , it appeared from the results that there were constant influxes of nutrients and bacterial cells, particularly fecal bacteria populations into Rice Creek, often exceeding the limit of 1000 E. coli cells/ 100 mL water for partial body contact threshold, as issued by the Michigan Quality Water Standards.

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