Water quality around central Ohio lakes and reservoirs.

[SpaceGhost]

There was a discussion a while ago about Alum creek and going swimming. I think Shawn posted he would bring the triplets to go swim there. Well Shawn, please do not. Here are the tests of the water: :barf:

 

http://www.nbc4i.com/midwest/cmh/search.apx.-content-articles-CMH-2007-05-21-0020.html

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- As the temperature warms up, more Central Ohioans will be heading towards water to cool off.

 

But it could be a good idea to find out what’s in that water first, NBC 4’s Mike Jackson reported.

 

Using sample kits provided by Zande Environmental Services, NBC 4 took samples a few feet from the shoreline at Alum Creek State Park, Delaware Lake, and Griggs and Hoover reservoirs.

 

Zande laboratories then examined the samples and looked for things that could make you sick when you’re fishing or swimming, things like E. coli and fecal coliform.

 

Hoover was the cleanest body of water. Delaware Lake and Griggs Reservoir also earned passing grades.

 

However, according to the lab results, the beach at Alum Creek is not safe for recreation.

 

“Alum Creek failed both criteria for fishable and swimable, I wouldn’t have my kids swim there,” Jerry Ioannides of Zande Environmental Services told NBC 4. “The counts were very high.”

 

NBC 4’s test confirmed 940 counts for fecal coliform and 630 for E. coli. The Ohio Department of Health has suggested posting warnings anytime the numbers are more than 235, Jackson reported.

 

“A high count, in and of itself, doesn’t necessarily mean anyone’s going to get sick,” Steve Binns of the Ohio Department of Health told NBC 4. “It does indicate that there’s a higher potential of high pathogens in the water though.”

 

The health department said that there could be a number of reasons that Alum Creek tested so high, Jackson reported.

 

“When you’re in an urban area that’s near the beach, when it rains the water washes the storm sewers out.” Binns said. “A lot of times the storm sewer washout falls near beaches and that may cause the counts to go by themselves.”

 

The department of health stressed that the E. coli found by the tests is not the same E. coli that can contaminate foods, but it can still make you sick, Jackson reported.

 

The state will not post signs as a result of the NBC 4 tests, but it did issue an advisory.

 

“When you go swimming in a lake or beach, try not to get your head under the water,” Binns cautioned. “You try not to drink the water because that’s where, if you’re going to pick up any bug, that’s where you’re going to pick them up… by ingestion.”

 

You can find more information provided by the Ohio Department of Health by visiting http://www.odh.ohio.gov .

[BloodRed]

That doesn't surprise me one bit. Alum Creek is a pretty nasty body of water. But not as bad as Buckeye Lake.

[Akula]

gotta build immunity somehow.

[Nitrousbird]

gotta build immunity somehow.

EXACTLY. People who keep their kids too far away from any sort of bacteria end up just having them get sick all the time later in life.

 

I plan on spending plenty of time in Alum this summer once the water warms up a bit more. That article hasn't detered me one bit.

[SpaceGhost]

EXACTLY. People who keep their kids too far away from any sort of bacteria end up just having them get sick all the time later in life.

 

I plan on spending plenty of time in Alum this summer once the water warms up a bit more. That article hasn't detered me one bit.

 

OK

[Bam]

Why not Scioto River? We've got a slip there and I plan to take my daughter there but doubtful she'll get in the water, but I've been skiing/boarding there for the past 4-5 years I'd say, I'm curious about that water...

[thorne]

That doesn't surprise me one bit. Alum Creek is a pretty nasty body of water. But not as bad as Buckeye Lake.

 

 

TRUE.

[Total Sign]

Actually..... Over the years, Alum has been one of the cleanest bodies of water in Ohio.

 

But I try to avoid swimming in any body of water at all costs, except the ocean and my hot tub.

[Guest Mushijobah]

I would choose Alum over Griggs or Oshay anyday....fucking news and their warped reporting.

[SpaceGhost]

Why not Scioto River? We've got a slip there and I plan to take my daughter there but doubtful she'll get in the water, but I've been skiing/boarding there for the past 4-5 years I'd say, I'm curious about that water...

 

Doesn't Griggs Resevoir feed the Scioto River?

[SpaceGhost]

I would choose Alum over Griggs or Oshay anyday....fucking news and their warped reporting.

 

 

what do they have to gain?

[FormulaMatt]

I will go out in the Scioto if we just want to go out for a quick cruise at dusk/night with no intentions of staying long or swimming and only because we live so close to it. I usually prefer to go into Alum. I don't know if the Scioto is cleaner than Alum or not, but I know my boat churns up some nasty looking shit and when I pull my trailer out it is covered in some nasty shit too. I spray it off instantly when I get home and it still takes some scrubbing.

[Guest Mushijobah]

 

what do they have to gain?

 

Griggs and Oshay are located on the Scioto River. It is a much larger stream than Alum Creek. Therefore the likelihood of WWTP's located upstream are much higher. The Little Scioto River also flows into the Scioto upstream of those impoundments....It is the most polluted stream in the state. Alum is a deep, relatively new, and clean lake. Any sort of thing could cause a microbial anomaly such as the bad ecoli to show up in the impoundment. Someone could have shit on the beach...It could have rained hard the night before causing a minute amount of contaminated runoff to flow into the lake. I just would definitely choose it over GRIGGS .

[SamZman]

That doesn't surprise me one bit. Alum Creek is a pretty nasty body of water. But not as bad as Buckeye Lake.

 

You have any stats for that? I know Buckeye is shallow and looks nastier in most of it, but I remember reading where it is a much cleaner and safer lake "chemically" than Alum and others..

[BloodRed]

You have any stats for that? I know Buckeye is shallow and looks nastier in most of it, but I remember reading where it is a much cleaner and safer lake "chemically" than Alum and others..

 

Not at this point, but I grew up in Licking County, and everyone knew of how nasty the lake is. I know a few years ago all of a sudden like half the fish in the lake just up and died. If I remember right they were dredging a part of the lake and it killed off a lot of oxygen in the lake and all the fish died. ODNR never cleaned up the dead fish, just let them rot on top of the water. Only thing they did clean up was the dam when it got backed up with the dead fish.

[Guest Mushijobah]

Buckeye Lake FTL

[HotCarl]

You guys are nuts if you think its still ok to swim in that crap. I grew up on Long Island and we went to the beach everyday. Being so close to industrial capitals like NY the water was still cleaner than any of the stuff out here, well mostly b/c its the ocean I suppose. Doesnt mean you treated it like pool water though. I went tubing on Alum creek a few years back. I dont think I'll do that again. Wouldn't rule out boating though. Buckeye lake is no better.

[Dr. Apex]

I'll just make the trip to Lake erie, plus there's so much run your not driving over each other like Alum creek.

[Akula]

Erie is really clean, thank the zebra mussels.

 

In fact, it is so clean that light now penetrates much further than it ever did and the seaweed and algae are thriving. I def think Erie is cleaner but again, immunities don't come from clean water. You gotta get that stuff in your system.

[Dr. Apex]

Erie is really clean, thank the zebra mussels.

 

In fact, it is so clean that light now penetrates much further than it ever did and the seaweed and algae are thriving. I def think Erie is cleaner but again, immunities don't come from clean water. You gotta get that stuff in your system.

 

Yeah I love the water up there now. Though as an avid fisherman it has become harder to catch fish with the changing conditions up there, the walleye are still proliferating and the record hatches in 02'-03' are getting big now.....dammit I need to get up there. :burn:

[Skinner]

Erie is really clean, thank the zebra mussels.

 

In fact, it is so clean that light now penetrates much further than it ever did and the seaweed and algae are thriving. I def think Erie is cleaner but again, immunities don't come from clean water. You gotta get that stuff in your system.

 

what doesn't kill ya only makes ya stronger...er or will weaken you enough that something else less deadly will kill ya.

[Nitrousbird]

Just got back from Buckeye Lake a few minutes ago; got plenty of its water on me slalom skiing and tubing (and wiping out = consuming a bit of water).

 

Still alive and feel fine.

 

I'll probably hit Griggs next week, and Muskingam this Saturday. And I bet I will feel healthy after all of that too.

[KentStateTsi]

the clarity of alum creek water has been better the past few years due to the increasing population of zebra muscles. however they cannot help the bacteria and crap like that. I only know any of this because my dad is the resource manager at alum creek. and the muscles only got in there because people do not wash out their boats when changing lakes. usually that kind of stuff stays in drywells, bilges and where ever else might hold water for a period.....

[Science Abuse]

EXACTLY. People who keep their kids too far away from any sort of bacteria end up just having them get sick all the time later in life.

LOL Yeah, expose yourself to Ecoli, call me when you get "immune" to it.

[Mitch]

LOL Yeah, expose yourself to Ecoli, call me when you get "immune" to it.

That was my sentiments exactly, fecal coliform sounds like a good infection to become immune to as well. Not to sound like a pussy, I love canoeing and tubing, but when ODNR issues a warning, I stay off the water. Granted the NBC 4 test was not administered by a professional and the media LOVES to exploit the smallest danger to the public.

 

I got a NASTY green infection growing on small cut I had at the time on my ankle. We were canoeing at a local reservoir and a few days later, my ankle was green. The ER nurse that scraped the infection off was nice enough to tell me not to look while she scraped the green shit off with the medical equivalent of a cheese grater.