Location: Environmentally Integrated Dairy Management Research
Title: Health risk from waterborne human and livestock pathogens during swimming, kayaking, and fishingAuthor
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Burch, Tucker |
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STOKDYK, JOEL - Us Geological Survey (USGS) |
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FIRNSTAHL, AARON - Us Geological Survey (USGS) |
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Opelt, Sarah |
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Cook, Rachel |
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Heffron, Joseph |
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BROWN, AMANDA - Polk County Conservation |
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HRUBY, CLAIRE - Drake University |
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Borchardt, Mark |
Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 2/21/2024 Publication Date: 4/25/2024 Citation: Burch, T.R., Stokdyk, J.P., Firnstahl, A.D., Opelt, S.A., Cook, R.M., Heffron, J.A., Brown, A., Hruby, C., Borchardt, M.A. 2024. Health risk from waterborne human and livestock pathogens during swimming, kayaking, and fishing. American Water Resources Association-Wisconsin Section Annual Meeting, Appleton, WI.April 25-26, 2024. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Many recreational waterways can become contaminated by pathogens from humans and livestock. These pathogens cause acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) when ingested during recreational water use, but prevailing levels of health risk for many sites and activities are unknown. We assessed risks posed to recreators during swimming and limited contact activities like kayaking and fishing for six sites on rivers in the Des Moines, Iowa metropolitan area. Water samples (n = 147) collected over two years were tested for a variety of waterborne pathogens, and AGI risk was estimated using quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA). Risk estimates varied from 1 to 83 AGI cases per 1,000 recreators depending on site and activity. Swimming risk for two sites exceeded USEPA’s 2012 acceptable risk benchmark of 36 AGI cases per 1,000 recreators. Risk estimates for other sites and limited contact activities were generally below the benchmark. Risk was examined relative to the presence of human, cow, pig, and bird feces using microbial source tracking to provide insights about the sources of elevated health risk; risk was highest when multiple fecal sources were present. Elevated concentrations of the fecal indicator E. coli did not always match periods of elevated AGI risk determined by QMRA. Results inform risk mitigation initiatives at the sites studied and provide context for understanding risk associated with similar activities and sites in Wisconsin and other Midwest states. |