URI Watershed Watch uses the USEPA approved membrane filtration method with mTEC media for analyzing fecal coliform and E. coli bacteria rather than the Rhode Island Department of Health approved MPN (Most Probable Number) procedure. Watershed Watch data is intended for screening purposes only, but is very valuable for targeting areas of concerns and for tracking potential sources of bacterial contamination.

Rhode Island marine water standards for recreational contact:
Fecal coliform not to exceed 50 fecal coliform / 100 mL.

USEPA marine water standard for recreational contact:
Recommends the use of enterococci, not to exceed 35 enterococci / 100 mL.

(Enterococci data available upon request for selected locations).

2002

MARINE BACTERIA DATA

   

       

MAY
MAY
JUNE
JUNE
JULY
JULY
AUG
AUG
SEPT
SEPT
OCT
OCT

**

 = URIWW Watershed Code
Fecal

Fecal

Fecal

Fecal

Fecal

Fecal

coliform

E. coli

coliform

E. coli

coliform

E. coli

coliform

E. coli

coliform

E. coli

coliform

E. coli

**

BEACH / SURF SITES
---
---
---
---
COUNT
PER
100
mL
---
---
---
 ---
NA BONNET BEACH @ KELLY
-
-
32
24
2
2
< 2
< 2
5
5
1
1

NA

BONNET BEACH @ BEACH CLUB
< 2
< 2
2
2
3
3
< 2
< 2
11
11
6
6

NA

BONNET BEACH @ WESQUAGE POND
< 2
< 2
6
6
1
1
1
1
9
9
15
15

CW

WATCH HILL
< 1
< 1
2
2
6
6
2
2
3
3
<2
<2

CW

MISQUAMICUT SURFING AREA
< 1
< 1
2
2
1
1
15
15
10
10
8
8

CW

WEEKAPAUG BREECHWAY
1
1
45
45
9
9
8
6
56
56
2
2

CW

DEEP HOLE
< 1
< 1
10
10
2
2
2
2
70
70
6
6

CW

THE K'S
< 1
< 1
-
-
25
24
7
7
< 2
< 2
5
5

CE

CONANT AVE.
< 1
< 1
76
74
7
7
30
30
20
20
2
2

CE

 SCARBOROUGH SURFING AREA
< 1
< 1
110
110
38
38
14
14
50
50
14
14

CE

MONAHAN'S
1
1
290
289
22
22
2
2
-
-
15
14
CE

NARRAGANSETT PIER STEPS
< 1
< 1
98
97
12
12
7
7
-
-
14
14
CE

SECOND BEACH
< 1
< 1
99
97
1
1
6
6
-
-
4
4
CE

FIRST BEACH
< 1
< 1
112
110
6
5
19
18
-
-
4
4
University of Rhode Island

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