Water quality news Archive

Amy C. Jordan, Laboratory Scientist V
Water Analysis Lab Microbiology Unit Supervisor
Public Health Laboratories

What do we do with your samples once they have arrived? 

You’ve collected a river sample, and it made its way to the Public Health Laboratory – Water Analysis Laboratory (PHL-WAL).  You have a result, but how did we get it?  What happens between the time a sample is dropped off and you get your result?  In the summary below, we explain what happens at the laboratory after your sample arrives. 

The Upper Merrimack Monitoring Program (UMMP) river samples received at the laboratory are logged in to our Laboratory Information Management (LIMS) system for E.coli analysis using an IDEXX method called Colilert.  This LIMS system is where we enter and review data and is also where your report is generated.  Once logged in, samples are delivered into the Water Microbiology lab where they are analyzed.  

How does the Colilert MPN test work? 

Since rivers are considered freshwater swim samples we analyze them for E.coli.  The Colilert test utilizes defined substrate technology, which basically means that it utilizes nutrients and enzymatic indicators to detect total coliform and E.coli bacteria.  E.coli is a coliform bacteria and is used as an indicator organism to determine water quality, as its presence in a sample is indicative of fecal contamination from warm-blooded animals, including humans.  Not all E.coli strains are harmful (some are harmful to human health), but the presence of E.coli in a water sample can also be indicative of the potential for other organisms present that may also be harmful to your health (viruses/parasites/fungus/other harmful bacteria).  It is also super easy to grow in a laboratory setting, which is another benefit to using it as an indicator organism.

The Colilert test consists of prepackaged reagent containing the nutrients and indicators to detect E.coli in individual “snap-pack” containers.  One snap-pack is used per sample. 

Image 1: Colilert Reagent

River samples first undergo a 1/10 dilution in sterile water, the reagent is added to this dilution, and the sample is placed on a shaker to dissolve the reagent.  Once the reagent is dissolved, the sample is then aseptically transferred into a Quanti-Tray (Q-tray), put through a sealer to seal the sample and reagent into the individual wells, and then incubated at 35C for 18-28 hours, depending on the Colilert analysis chosen.  

Image 2: Quanti-tray with sealer

We use both an 18- and 24-hour Colilert test throughout the day.  (See images 3 and 4 for the two Colilert analyses used at PHL-WAL.) 

Image 3: Colilert 24-hour                                               Image 4: Colilert 18-hour

After incubation, the sample is then checked for both color change and fluorescence.  In order for the sample to be positive for E.coli, the individual wells must be both yellow AND fluoresce under UV light at 365nm.  (See the following pictures below. Image 5 shows yellow wells indicating the sample is positive for total coliform bacteria.  Image 6 shows that the yellow wells also fluoresce under UV light, indicating presence of E.coli in the sample).    

Image 5: Total coliform positive result                Image 6: E.coli positive result

The Q-tray contains 49 large wells and 48 small wells. Each positive well is counted, and a corresponding Most Probable Number (MPN) is documented off the IDEXX Q-tray MPN table.  Any positive large and/or small wells of the Q-tray provide two numbers that correspond to an MPN/100mL result using the probability table below that will estimate the MPN based on those positive wells.  For example, in image 6 above, we have 49 positive large wells and 18 positive small wells.  We can then go to the MPN table and look at where the numbers for 49 large and 18 small meet to obtain a result of 307.6 MPN/100mL (See an example of the MPN table below).   

What is MPN?

Most Probable Number (MPN) is an estimation of the concentration or number of bacteria in liquid media (in this case, river water).  The MPN is a statistical method of quantitation, which assumes even distribution of the microbes across the sample as well as random separation of the organisms across the wells of the Q-tray.  The Colilert analysis gives a result in MPN/100mL because that is the standard amount of water used to obtain a result with this test. 

Image 7: MPN Table for Quanti-Tray 2000 /100mL

Dear river and watershed friends,

The sixth and final Bacteria Day of 2025 on August 19, brought 100% results from the Upper Merrimack Monitoring Program volunteers’ sampling at 100% of the eleven sites from Franklin to Bow, comprising the Pemigewasset, Winnipesaukee, Contoocook, and Merrimack Rivers.

We know that you have heard it before but it’s important to remember that the results shown below are the probable number of E. coli colonies for every 100 millilitres (ml) of water at that moment in time. We call it a snapshot because conditions at that moment are represented and anything that happened a day or so before or after this sampling date can change drastically. All warm blooded animals (including we humans) have E. coli in their guts. That means that bacteria are an indicator that poop has found its way to the water. This could be a result of stormwater runoff, failed septic systems, mis-connected pipes that are meant to transport household waste to a treatment plant, pet or wildlife waste from river watershed, and other sources.

To protect public health, State of New Hampshire designated swim beaches are not allowed to exceed 88 colonies of E. coli per 100ml. Class B waters (all of our sites are designated as Class B) shall not exceed 406 colonies. These designations do not always reflect real-time  water quality. The designation indicates what uses, e.g., swimming, fishing, should be supported by maintaining water quality.

The  E. coli colony counts remain blissfully low with all meeting the Class B standard and the more stringent standard for designated swim areas. Sites 1, 10, and 11 were less than 10 colonies per 100ml. We want to stress that these samples are snapshots in time, and something can happen right before or right after volunteers take these samples. These data are important for trend analysis and to help us understand correlations between weather and bacteria counts. Leonardo da Vinci said it best, “When you put your hand in a flowing stream, you touch the last that has gone before and the first of what is still to come.”

You hear us say often, “When it rains, it’s poor,” which means that you may wish to wait a day or so after it rains before recreating in a surface waters. For this week’s low E. coli data, we have a new saying, “No rain; no pain” (except for the drought conditions, of course).

Here are the details.

Please join us inrecognizing and thanking our Adopt-a-River Site Sponsors that make this work possible (listed in order of their sponsored sites 1-11).
Watts Regulator / Webster Valve
Franklin Savings Bank
Winnipesaukee River Basin Program (two sites)
Elektrisola
Nelson Analytical
Essex Hydro
Aries Engineering
GZA Environmental
Granite Shore Power (two sites)

Our gratitude to Franklin Waste Water Treatment Plant for their continued support, including covering sample processing costs, and providing a safe and convenient drop-off area. The Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Laboratory do a wonderful job processing our samples with prompt results.

A big thank you to Chantal McGuire who continues to make a major trek from her homeplace to Franklin and then to Concord to assure that samples are transported quickly and under controlled conditions.

Did you know that the Upper Merrimack Monitoring program is staffed and managed 100% by volunteers? This means that throughout the year, volunteers organize and perform activities including water sampling, collecting benthic macroinvertebrates to gauge long-term river health, and work nights in a laboratory to identify those “bugs?” If you want to learn more or get involved, please contact Michele and Steve (see below for contact information).

That’s a wrap for the summer. Watch for updates during the summer of 2026.

Please visit our forum at MerrimackRiver.org/forum and the Upper Merrimack Watershed Association site MerrimackRiver.org for further information. Don’t hesitate to contact us at UMMP@MerrimackRiver.org or 603.796.2615 (landline) should you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Michele L Tremblay                          Stephen C Landry
Program Manager                             Sampling Supervisor

Dear river and watershed friends,

The fifth Bacteria Day of 2025, brought 100% results from the Upper Merrimack Monitoring Program volunteers’ sampling at 100% of the eleven sites from Franklin to Bow, comprising the Pemigewasset, Winnipesaukee, Contoocook, and Merrimack Rivers.

We know that you have heard it before but it’s important to remember that the results shown below are the probable number of E. coli colonies for every 100 millilitres (ml) of water at that moment in time. We call it a snapshot because conditions at that moment are represented and anything that happened a day or so before or after this sampling date can change drastically. All warm blooded animals (including we humans) have E. coli in their guts. That means that bacteria are an indicator that poop has found its way to the water. This could be a result of stormwater runoff, failed septic systems, mis-connected pipes that are meant to transport household waste to a treatment plant, pet or wildlife waste from river watershed, and other sources.

To protect public health, State of New Hampshire designated swim beaches are not allowed to exceed 88 colonies of E. coli per 100ml. Class B waters (all of our sites are designated as Class B) shall not exceed 406 colonies. These designations do not always reflect real-time  water quality. The designation indicates what uses, e.g., swimming, fishing, should be supported by maintaining water quality.

The  E. coli colony counts remain blissfully low with all meeting the Class B standard and all but one meeting the more stringent standard for designated swim areas. Sites 1, 5 and 11 were less than 10 colonies per 100ml. We want to stress that these samples are snapshots in time, and something can happen right before or right after volunteers take these samples. These data are important for trend analysis and to help us understand correlations between weather and bacteria counts. Leonardo da Vinci said it best, “When you put your hand in a flowing stream, you touch the last that has gone before and the first of what is still to come.”

You hear us say often, “When it rains, it’s poor,” which means that you may wish to wait a day or so after it rains before recreating in a surface water.  

Here are the details.

Please join us inrecognizing and thanking our Adopt-a-River Site Sponsors that make this work possible (listed in order of their sponsored sites 1-11).
Watts Regulator / Webster Valve
Franklin Savings Bank
Winnipesaukee River Basin Program (two sites)
Elektrisola
Nelson Analytical
Essex Hydro
Aries Engineering
GZA Environmental
Granite Shore Power (two sites)

Our gratitude to Franklin Waste Water Treatment Plant for their continued support, including covering sample processing costs, and providing a safe and convenient drop-off area. The Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Laboratory do a wonderful job processing our samples with prompt results.

A big thank you to Chantal McGuire who continues to make a major trek from her homeplace to Franklin and then to Concord to assure that samples are transported quickly and under controlled conditions.

Did you know that the Upper Merrimack Monitoring program is staffed and managed 100% by volunteers? This means that throughout the year, volunteers organize and perform activities including water sampling, collecting benthic macroinvertebrates to gauge long-term river health, and work nights in a laboratory to identify those “bugs?” If you want to learn more or get involved, please contact Michele and Steve (see below for contact information).

Just one more Bacteria Day to go this season: Volunteers will take their final 2025 samples on Tuesday, August 19, 2025.

Please visit our forum at MerrimackRiver.org/forum and the Upper Merrimack Watershed Association site MerrimackRiver.org for further information. Don’t hesitate to contact us at UMMP@MerrimackRiver.org or 603.796.2615 (landline) should you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Michele L Tremblay                          Stephen C Landry
Program Manager                             Sampling Supervisor

Dear river and watershed friends,

The fourth Bacteria Day of 2025, brought 100% results from the Upper Merrimack Monitoring Program volunteers’ sampling at 100% of the eleven sites from Franklin to Bow, comprising the Pemigewasset, Winnipesaukee, Contoocook, and Merrimack Rivers.

We know that you have heard it before but it’s important to remember that the results shown below are the probable number of E. coli colonies for every 100 millilitres (ml) of water at that moment in time. We call it a snapshot because conditions at that moment are represented and anything that happened a day or so before or after this sampling date can change drastically. All warm blooded animals (including we humans) have E. coli in their guts. That means that bacteria are an indicator that poop has found its way to the water. This could be a result of stormwater runoff, failed septic systems, mis-connected pipes that are meant to transport household waste to a treatment plant, pet or wildlife waste from river watershed, and other sources.

To protect public health, State of New Hampshire designated swim beaches are not allowed to exceed 88 colonies of E. coli per 100ml. Class B waters (all of our sites are designated as Class B) shall not exceed 406 colonies. These designations do not always reflect real-time  water quality. The designation indicates what uses, e.g., swimming, fishing, should be supported by maintaining water quality.

The  E. coli colony counts remain blissfully low with all meeting the Class B standard and all but one meeting the more stringent standard for designated swim areas. Sites 1 and 8 were less than 10 colonies per 100ml. We want to stress that these samples are snapshots in time, and something can happen right before or right after volunteers take these samples. These data are important for trend analysis and to help us understand correlations between weather and bacteria counts. Leonardo da Vinci said it best, “When you put your hand in a flowing stream, you touch the last that has gone before and the first of what is still to come.”

You hear us say often, “When it rains, it’s poor,” which means that you may wish to wait a day or so after it rains before recreating in a surface water.  

Here are the details.

Please join us inrecognizing and thanking our Adopt-a-River Site Sponsors that make this work possible (listed in order of their sponsored sites 1-11).
Watts Regulator / Webster Valve
Franklin Savings Bank
Winnipesaukee River Basin Program (two sites)
Elektrisola
Nelson Analytical
Essex Hydro
Aries Engineering
GZA Environmental
Granite Shore Power (two sites)

Our gratitude to Franklin Waste Water Treatment Plant for their continued support, including covering sample processing costs, and providing a safe and convenient drop-off area. The Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Laboratory do a wonderful job processing our samples with prompt results.

Did you know that the Upper Merrimack Monitoring program is staffed and managed 100% by volunteers? This means that throughout the year, volunteers organize and perform activities including water sampling, collecting benthic macroinvertebrates to gauge long-term river health, and work nights in a laboratory to identify those “bugs?” If you want to learn more or get involved, please contact Michele and Steve (see below for contact information).

Just two more Bacteria Days to go this season: Volunteers will take their next samples on Tuesday, August 5, 2025.

Please visit our forum at MerrimackRiver.org/forum and the Upper Merrimack Watershed Association site MerrimackRiver.org for further information. Don’t hesitate to contact us at UMMP@MerrimackRiver.org or 603.796.2615 (landline) should you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Michele L Tremblay                          Stephen C Landry
Program Manager                             Sampling Supervisor

Dear river and watershed friends,

The third Bacteria Day of 2025, brought 100% results from the Upper Merrimack Monitoring Program volunteers’ sampling at 100% of the eleven sites from Franklin to Bow, comprising the Pemigewasset, Winnipesaukee, Contoocook, and Merrimack Rivers.

We know that you have heard it before but it’s important to remember that the results shown below are the probable number of E. coli colonies for every 100 millilitres (ml) of water at that moment in time. We call it a snapshot because conditions at that moment are represented and anything that happened a day or so before or after this sampling date can change drastically. All warm blooded animals (including we humans) have E. coli in their guts. That means that bacteria are an indicator that poop has found its way to the water. This could be a result of stormwater runoff, failed septic systems, mis-connected pipes that are meant to transport household waste to a treatment plant, pet or wildlife waste from river watershed, and other sources.

To protect public health, State of New Hampshire designated swim beaches are not allowed to exceed 88 colonies of E. coli per 100ml. Class B waters (all of our sites are designated as Class B) shall not exceed 406 colonies. These designations do not always reflect real-time  water quality. The designation indicates what uses, e.g., swimming, fishing, should be supported by maintaining water quality.

The  E. coli colony counts remain joyfully low with all meeting the Class B standard and all but one meeting the more stringent standard for designated swim areas. We want to stress that these samples are snapshots in time, and something can happen right before or right after volunteers take these samples. These data are important for trend analysis and to help us understand correlations between weather and bacteria counts. Leonardo da Vinci said it best, “When you put your hand in a flowing stream, you touch the last that has gone before and the first of what is still to come.”

You hear us say often, “When it rains, it’s poor,” which means that you may wish to wait a day or so after it rains before recreating in a surface water.  

Here are the details.

Please join us inrecognizing and thanking our Adopt-a-River Site Sponsors that make this work possible (listed in order of their sponsored sites 1-11).
Watts Regulator / Webster Valve
Franklin Savings Bank
Winnipesaukee River Basin Program (two sites)
Elektrisola
Nelson Analytical
Essex Hydro
Aries Engineering
GZA Environmental
Granite Shore Power (two sites)

Our gratitude to Franklin Waste Water Treatment Plant for their continued support, including covering sample processing costs, and providing a safe and convenient drop-off area. The Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Laboratory do a wonderful job processing our samples with prompt results. Thank you, Chantal McGuire for your sample courier-ing from Franklin to Concord.

Did you know that the Upper Merrimack Monitoring program is staffed and managed 100% by volunteers? This means that throughout the year, volunteers organize and perform activities including water sampling, collecting benthic macroinvertebrates to gauge long-term river health, and work nights in a laboratory to identify those “bugs?” If you want to learn more or get involved, please contact Michele and Steve (see below for contact information).

Volunteers will take their next samples on Tuesday, July 22, 2025.

Please visit our forum at MerrimackRiver.org/forum and the Upper Merrimack Watershed Association site MerrimackRiver.org for further information. Don’t hesitate to contact us at UMMP@MerrimackRiver.org or 603.796.2615 (landline) should you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Michele L Tremblay                          Stephen C Landry
Program Manager                             Sampling Supervisor

Dear river and watershed friends,

The second Bacteria Day of 2025, brought 100% results from the Upper Merrimack Monitoring Program volunteers’ sampling at 100% of the eleven sites from Franklin to Bow, comprising the Pemigewasset, Winnipesaukee, Contoocook, and Merrimack Rivers.

We know that you have heard it before but it’s important to remember that the results shown below are the probable number of E. coli colonies for every 100 millilitres (ml) of water at that moment in time. We call it a snapshot because conditions at that moment are represented and anything that happened a day or so before or after this sampling date can change drastically. All warm blooded animals (including we humans) have E. coli in their guts. That means that bacteria are an indicator that poop has found its way to the water. This could be a result of stormwater runoff, failed septic systems, mis-connected pipes that are meant to transport household waste to a treatment plant, pet or wildlife waste from river watershed, and other sources.

To protect public health, State of New Hampshire designated swim beaches are not allowed to exceed 88 colonies of E. coli per 100ml. Class B waters (all of our sites are designated as Class B) shall not exceed 406 colonies. These designations do not always reflect real-time  water quality. The designation indicates what uses, e.g., swimming, fishing, should be supported by maintaining water quality.

The  E. coli colony counts were delightfully low with all meeting the Class B standard and all but one meeting the more stringent standard for designated swim areas. We want to stress that these samples are snapshots in time, and something can happen right before or right after volunteers take these samples. These data are important for trend analysis and to help us understand correlations between weather and bacteria counts. Leonardo da Vinci said it best, “When you put your hand in a flowing stream, you touch the last that has gone before and the first of what is still to come.”

You hear us say often, “When it rains, it’s poor,” which means that you may wish to wait a day or so after it rains before recreating in a surface water.  

Here are the details.

Please join us in recognizing and thanking our Adopt-a-River Site Sponsors that make this work possible (listed in order of their sponsored sites 1-11).
Watts Regulator / Webster Valve
Franklin Savings Bank
Winnipesaukee River Basin Program (two sites)
Elektrisola
Nelson Analytical
Essex Hydro
Aries Engineering
GZA Environmental
Granite Shore Power (two sites)

Our gratitude to Franklin Waste Water Treatment Plant for their continued support, including covering sample processing costs, and providing a safe and convenient drop-off area. The Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Laboratory do a wonderful job processing our samples with prompt results. Thank you, Chantal McGuire for your sample courier-ing from Franklin to Concord.

Did you know that the Upper Merrimack Monitoring program is staffed and managed 100% by volunteers? This means that throughout the year, volunteers organize and perform activities including water sampling, collecting benthic macroinvertebrates to gauge long-term river health, and work nights in a laboratory to identify those “bugs?” If you want to learn more or get involved, please contact Michele and Steve (see below for contact information).

Volunteers will take their next samples on Tuesday, July 8, 2025.

Please visit our forum at MerrimackRiver.org/forum and the Upper Merrimack Watershed Association site MerrimackRiver.org for further information. Don’t hesitate to contact us at UMMP@MerrimackRiver.org or 603.796.2615 (landline) should you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Michele L Tremblay                          Stephen C Landry
Program Manager                             Sampling Supervisor

Dear river and watershed friends,

June 10, Opening Day for Bacteria Days 2025, an exciting event for Upper Merrimack Monitoring Program volunteers, begins our bi-weekly 2025 water quality monitoring. It was an auspicious start with 100% sampling at 100% of the eleven sites from Franklin to Bow, comprising the Pemigewasset, Winnipesaukee, Contoocook, and Merrimack Rivers.

We know that you have heard it before but it’s important to remember that the results shown below are the probable number of E. coli colonies for every 100 millilitres (ml) of water at that moment in time. We call it a snapshot because conditions at that moment are represented and anything that happened a day or so before or after this sampling date can change drastically. All warm blooded animals (including we humans) have E. coli in their guts. That means that bacteria are an indicator that poop has found its way to the water. This could be a result of stormwater runoff, failed septic systems, mis-connected pipes that are meant to transport household waste to a treatment plant, pet or wildlife waste from river watershed, and other sources.

To protect public health, State of New Hampshire designated swim beaches are not allowed to exceed 88 colonies of E. coli per 100ml. Class B waters (all of our sites are designated as Class B) shall not exceed 406 colonies. These designations do not always reflect real-time  water quality. The designation indicates what uses, e.g., swimming, fishing, should be supported by maintaining water quality.

The surprising part? For an extended period of time, river levels have been pegged with high flows from frequent rains but E. coli colony counts were surprisingly low considering those conditions. Sample results are all within the State standard for designated swim areas, as well as the less stringent Class B Standard. We want to stress that these samples are snapshots in time, and something can happen right before or right after volunteers take these samples. These data are important for trend analysis and to help us understand correlations between weather and bacteria counts. Leonardo da Vinci said it best, “When you put your hand in a flowing stream, you touch the last that has gone before and the first of what is still to come.”

You hear us say often, “When it rains, it’s poor,” which means that you may wish to wait a day or so after it rains before recreating in a surface water.  

Here are the details.

Please join us inrecognizing and thanking our Adopt-a-River Site Sponsors that make this work possible (listed in order of their sponsored sites 1-11).
Watts Regulator / Webster Valve
Franklin Savings Bank
Winnipesaukee River Basin Program (two sites)
Elektrisola
Nelson Analytical
Essex Hydro
Aries Engineering
GZA Environmental
Granite Shore Power (two sites)

Our gratitude to Franklin Waste Water Treatment Plant for their continued support, including covering sample processing costs, and providing a safe and convenient drop-off area. The Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Laboratory do a wonderful job processing our samples with prompt results. Thank you, Chantal McGuire for your sample courier-ing from Franklin to Concord.

Did you know that the Upper Merrimack Monitoring program is staffed and managed 100% by volunteers? This means that throughout the year, volunteers organize and perform activities including water sampling, collecting benthic macroinvertebrates to gauge long-term river health, and work nights in a laboratory to identify those “bugs?” If you want to learn more or get involved, please contact Michele and Steve (see below for contact information).

Volunteers will take their next samples on Tuesday, June 24, 2025.

Please visit our forum at MerrimackRiver.org/forum and the Upper Merrimack Watershed Association site MerrimackRiver.org for further information. Don’t hesitate to contact us at UMMP@MerrimackRiver.org or 603.796.2615 (landline) should you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Michele L Tremblay                          Stephen C Landry

Program Manager                             Sampling Supervisor

By DANIEL SARCH, THE LACONIA DAILY SUN

Sep 3, 2024 

FRANKLIN — Three volunteers for the Upper Merrimack Watershed Association crossed the Central Street Bridge over the Pemigewasset River, looking out over the foggy horizon. At 7 a.m. on Aug. 27, Mike Hamilton, environmental engineer for Watts Water Technologies, threw a small bucket over the bridge into the river, and pulled it up, filled with a water sample to test E. coli in the river.

Hamilton then dropped off the sample at the Franklin Wastewater Treatment Plant, where it’ll be brought to the Public Health Laboratories in Concord. Samples from 11 test sites were analyzed, and the data released at the end of that week, distributed through the watershed association newsletter. Hamilton spoke about why it’s important he help collect this data.

“I live right over here. My dogs swim in this river, so it’s a big part of the community, and just another way to give back,” he said.

The Upper Merrimack Monitoring Program is a 100% volunteer-run program of the Upper Merrimack Watershed Association. Every summer, volunteers take samples in the rivers of Merrimack County to test for E. coli bacteria every two weeks, from June 18 to Aug. 27. Co-Director Steve Landry said the samples they collect fill the gaps in the statewide river monitoring network of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. The state uses the data to make assessments of river health, which is a source of pride for the volunteers, that they contribute to something beyond monitoring the local river corridor.

“I think that’s the exciting thing for volunteers like Mike and I, is that we’re participating in a river assessment program that normally wouldn’t have this intensive of a summer bacteria monitoring schedule, because the state has limited resources and abilities,” Landry said. “There’s like 17,000 river miles in New Hampshire. They can’t sample every river every other week.”

E. coli comes into the water from warm-blooded animals, including humans, that have E. coli in the gut. Positive samples indicate fecal matter has found its way into the water. This can be due to stormwater runoff, failed septic systems, poorly connected pipes transporting household waste to a treatment plant, pet or wildlife waste from within the river watershed, and other sources. To protect public health, the state has designated swimming beaches not to exceed 88 colonies of E. coli per 100 mL. All the sites are Class B waters, which cannot exceed 406 colonies. According to Co-Director Michele Tremblay, Class B is still clean. Despite being designated Class B, the site on the Pemigewasset came in at under 10 colonies of E. coli per 100 mL.

“That means that you can swim, you can fish, you can eat the fish that you catch. And if someone wanted to have an intake for a water supply system, they could do that as long as they had proper treatment,” Tremblay said.

All New Hampshire surface waters are designated Class A or B. The results, however, are snapshots in time when the sample was collected, not necessarily a determination of long-term river health, as anything that happens a day before or after can change the data drastically. An example of this was on July 2, when a sample of the Merrimack River at Garvin Falls in Bow read at 613 colonies, well above the Class B limit. While only a guess, Tremblay believes it could have been waterfowl congregating in that location, leaving behind waste. It became clear it wasn’t a serious problem after the next sample two weeks later on July 16, read at under 10 colonies.

Another indicator for poor quality may be rain.

“We always like to say, ‘When it rains, it’s poor,’” Tremblay said. “So going swimming in a river, for instance, isn’t a great idea after there’s been a big rainstorm, because everything is flushed in, from storm drains to lawns to fields. Anywhere that isn’t vegetated, all of that goes into the river.”

During past summers, watershed association volunteers set wire baskets filled with rocks in 17 sites from Franklin to Bow, which aim to catch bugs and benthic macroinvertebrates in the river. These bugs are preserved in jars, then identified during the winter to help determine the long-term health of the water. Bugs can often be a good indicator of water health, as some bugs are sensitive to large amounts of pollutants. This summer, the organization didn’t collect bugs, as they have a smaller laboratory which allows for fewer volunteers. Landry spoke to the importance of the bugs in the water.

“The aquatic insects part of it, that’s long-term river health assessments, because those bugs live in there. They’re part of the food chain,” Landry said. “We get a lot more understanding of the river and long-term river health with the bugs. But it’s a big undertaking and takes a lot of time and many, many more volunteers.”

Tremblay said they may look for bugs in November, and plan to set baskets next summer.

None of this work is done without the help of volunteers. While some volunteers already work in the environmental and sustainability industry, like Tremblay, who works as an environmental consultant, and Landry, who works for the state as an environmental program manager, many volunteers are simply concerned or curious citizens who want to help. Volunteers often come from adopt-a-river site sponsor organizations. In Franklin, this includes Franklin Savings Bank, the wastewater treatment plant, and Watts Water Technologies. Volunteers are trained to properly collect samples, and in the winter, observe bugs under a microscope for further research. Landry described volunteers viewing bugs under the microscope for the first time.

“People who had no idea that mayflies, crayfish, flies and midges live in the river, and their whole world gets brighter and [it’s] more enlightening,” Landry said.

Claudette Verville, 79, a seamstress from Allenstown, has volunteered her time to the program since 1998. The microscope observations of the bugs caught her attention. She loved it so much that over 20 years ago, her children bought her a microscope, with the advice of Tremblay and Landry. Since then, Verville has used her microscope to finish observing samples at home to speed up the identification process. In her free time, she often looks for bugs under rocks, behind leaves, and in the water. She shares her passion with her children, nieces and nephews.

“When everybody’s sitting and saying, ‘Oh God, we’re so bored,’ I’d say, ‘OK, let’s go and see what we can find,’” Verville said. “And that’s what we would do, and they’d all have a chance to take a look at whatever they found on the microscope. So that kind of made it fun and exciting.”

Ultimately, beyond the current contributions of volunteers to the local watershed, Landry hopes the experience will raise awareness of the importance of river health, and advocate for it in the future. He believes Verville’s story is a great example of inspiring passion in a new generation.

“They [will] carry that forward, maybe tell a neighbor or tell their children, and it helps kind of spread this awareness that there’s a lot of great indicators out there of river health.”

To learn more about the program and to volunteer, call Tremblay at 603-796-2615.

Dear river and watershed friends,

August 13, our fifth sampling day (of six) this summer continues with 100% sampling at 100% of our sites. Thank you, volunteers. We continue to provide you with these bi-weekly reports for eleven sites from Franklin to Bow, comprising the Pemigewasset, Winnipesaukee, Contoocook, and Merrimack Rivers.

We know that you have heard it before but it’s important to remember that the results shown below are the probable number of E. coli colonies for every 100 millilitres (ml) of water at that moment in time. We call it a snapshot because conditions at that moment are represented and anything that happened a day or so before or after this sampling date can change drastically. All warm blooded animals (including we humans) have E. coli in their guts. That means that bacteria are an indicator that poop has found its way to the water. This could be a result of stormwater runoff, failed septic systems, mis-connected pipes that are meant to transport household waste to a treatment plant, pet or wildlife waste from river watershed, and other sources.

To protect public health, State of New Hampshire designated swim beaches are not allowed to exceed 88 colonies of E. coli per 100ml. Class B waters (all of our sites are designated as Class B) shall not exceed 406 colonies. These designations do not always reflect real-time  water quality. The designation indicates what uses, e.g., swimming, fishing, should be supported by maintaining water quality.

Sample results were a bit of a mixed bag this week. The results were higher overall but everything falls within the Class B Standard for swimmable, fishable waters. Five meet the designated swim beach requirements. There were observations of goose poop at least one site. Anything can happen right before or after these samples are taken so we continue to stress that these samples are snapshots in time, and something can happen right before or right after volunteers take these samples. These data are important for trend analysis and to help us understand correlations between weather and bacteria counts. Leonardo da Vinci said it best, “When you put your hand in a flowing stream, you touch the last that has gone before and the first of what is still to come.”

You hear us say often, “When it rains, it’s poor,” which means that you may wish to wait a day or so after it rains before recreating in a surface water.  

Here are the details.

Please join us inrecognizing and thanking our Adopt-a-River Site Sponsors that make this work possible (listed in order of their sponsored sites 1-11).
Watts Regulator / Webster Valve
Franklin Savings Bank
Winnipesaukee River Basin Program (two sites)
Elektrisola
Nelson Analytical
Essex Hydro
Aries Engineering
GZA Environmental
Granite Shore Power (two sites)

Our gratitude to Franklin Waste Water Treatment Plant for their continued support, including covering sample processing costs, and providing a safe and convenient drop-off area. The Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Laboratory do a wonderful job processing our samples with prompt results. Thank you, Chantal McGuire for your sample courier-ing from Franklin to Concord.

Did you know that the Upper Merrimack Monitoring program is staffed and managed 100% by volunteers? This means that throughout the year, volunteers organize and perform activities including water sampling, collecting benthic macroinvertebrates to gauge long-term river health, and work nights in a laboratory to identify those “bugs?” If you want to learn more or get involved, please contact Michele and Steve (see below for contact information).

Volunteers will take their next samples on our last day this season, Tuesday, August 27, 2024.

Please visit our forum at MerrimackRiver.org/forum and the Upper Merrimack Watershed Association site MerrimackRiver.org for further information. Don’t hesitate to contact us at UMMP@MerrimackRiver.org or 603.796.2615 (landline) should you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Michele L Tremblay                          Stephen C Landry
Program Manager                             Sampling Supervisor

Dear river and watershed friends,

August 27, our sixth and final sampling day capped the with 100% sampling at 100% of our sites. Thank you, volunteers. We continue to provide you with these bi-weekly reports for eleven sites from Franklin to Bow, comprising the Pemigewasset, Winnipesaukee, Contoocook, and Merrimack Rivers.

We know that you have heard it before but it’s important to remember that the results shown below are the probable number of E. coli colonies for every 100 millilitres (ml) of water at that moment in time. We call it a snapshot because conditions at that moment are represented and anything that happened a day or so before or after this sampling date can change drastically. All warm blooded animals (including we humans) have E. coli in their guts. That means that bacteria are an indicator that poop has found its way to the water. This could be a result of stormwater runoff, failed septic systems, mis-connected pipes that are meant to transport household waste to a treatment plant, pet or wildlife waste from river watershed, and other sources.

To protect public health, State of New Hampshire designated swim beaches are not allowed to exceed 88 colonies of E. coli per 100ml. Class B waters (all of our sites are designated as Class B) shall not exceed 406 colonies. These designations do not always reflect real-time  water quality. The designation indicates what uses, e.g., swimming, fishing, should be supported by maintaining water quality.

All sites meet the requirements of the Class B Standard for swimmable, fishable waters. All but one meet the designated swim beach requirements (this is not a standard for any of our sites but good to see when they meet this more stringent requirement). Anything can happen right before or after these samples are taken so we continue to stress that these samples are snapshots in time, and something can happen right before or right after volunteers take these samples. These data are important for trend analysis and to help us understand correlations between weather and bacteria counts. Leonardo da Vinci said it best, “When you put your hand in a flowing stream, you touch the last that has gone before and the first of what is still to come.” 

A correspondent from the Laconia Sun visited the program this week. He took pictures and talked to Mike Hamilton, Site 1 Watts Water in Franklin, and to us about the Upper Merrimack Monitoring Program, Upper Merrimack Watershed Association, the dedicated volunteers, and our Adopt-a-River site sponsors. Watch for the story at your local newsstand and online.

You hear us say often, “When it rains, it’s poor,” which means that you may wish to wait a day or so after it rains before recreating in a surface water.  

Here are the details.

Please join us in recognizing and thanking our Adopt-a-River Site Sponsors and municipal supports who make this work possible
Adopt-a-River Sponsors are listed in order of their sponsored sites 1-11.
Watts Regulator / Webster Valve
Franklin Savings Bank
Winnipesaukee River Basin Program (two sites)
Elektrisola
Nelson Analytical
Essex Hydro
Aries Engineering
GZA Environmental
Granite Shore Power (two sites)

Our gratitude to Franklin Waste Water Treatment Plant for their continued support, including covering sample processing costs, and providing a safe and convenient drop-off area. The Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Laboratory do a wonderful job processing our samples with prompt results. Thank you, Chantal McGuire for your sample courier-ing from Franklin to Concord.

Did you know that the Upper Merrimack Monitoring program is staffed and managed 100% by volunteers? This means that throughout the year, volunteers organize and perform activities including water sampling, collecting benthic macroinvertebrates to gauge long-term river health, and work nights in a laboratory to identify those “bugs?” If you want to learn more or get involved, please contact Michele and Steve (see below for contact information).

Volunteers will take the rest of the year off with August 27 being our last day. Watch your email for updates when our 2025 season begins in June.

Please visit our forum at MerrimackRiver.org/forum and the Upper Merrimack Watershed Association site MerrimackRiver.org for further information. Don’t hesitate to contact us at UMMP@MerrimackRiver.org or 603.796.2615 (landline) should you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Michele L Tremblay                          Stephen C Landry
Program Manager                             Sampling Supervisor

Dear river and watershed friends,

July 30, our fourth sampling day (of six) this summer continues with 100% sampling at 100% of our sites. Thank you, volunteers. We continue to provide you with these bi-weekly reports for eleven sites from Franklin to Bow, comprising the Pemigewasset, Winnipesaukee, Contoocook, and Merrimack Rivers.

We know that you have heard it before but it’s important to remember that the results shown below are the probable number of E. coli colonies for every 100 millilitres (ml) of water at that moment in time. We call it a snapshot because conditions at that moment are represented and anything that happened a day or so before or after this sampling date can change drastically. All warm blooded animals (including we humans) have E. coli in their guts. That means that bacteria are an indicator that poop has found its way to the water. This could be a result of stormwater runoff, failed septic systems, mis-connected pipes that are meant to transport household waste to a treatment plant, pet or wildlife waste from river watershed, and other sources.

To protect public health, State of New Hampshire designated swim beaches are not allowed to exceed 88 colonies of E. coli per 100ml. Class B waters (all of our sites are designated as Class B) shall not exceed 406 colonies. These designations do not always reflect real-time  water quality. The designation indicates what uses, e.g., swimming, fishing, should be supported by maintaining water quality.

Sample results were surprisingly low with all sites meeting the Class B Standard for swimmable, fishable waters. There were short, flashy rains the night before sampling so we expected some spikes from runoff but we were surprised pleasantly with these mostly very low bacteria colony counts. We continue to stress that these samples are snapshots in time, and something can happen right before or right after volunteers take these samples. These data are important for trend analysis and to help us understand correlations between weather and bacteria counts. Leonardo da Vinci said it best, “When you put your hand in a flowing stream, you touch the last that has gone before and the first of what is still to come.”

You hear us say often, “When it rains, it’s poor,” which means that you may wish to wait a day or so after it rains before recreating in a surface water.  

Here are the details.

Please join us inrecognizing and thanking our Adopt-a-River Site Sponsors that make this work possible (listed in order of their sponsored sites 1-11).
Watts Regulator / Webster Valve
Franklin Savings Bank
Winnipesaukee River Basin Program (two sites)
Elektrisola
Nelson Analytical
Essex Hydro
Aries Engineering
GZA Environmental
Granite Shore Power (two sites)

Our gratitude to Franklin Waste Water Treatment Plant for their continued support, including covering sample processing costs, and providing a safe and convenient drop-off area. The Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Laboratory do a wonderful job processing our samples with prompt results. Thank you, Chantal McGuire for your sample courier-ing from Franklin to Concord.

Did you know that the Upper Merrimack Monitoring program is staffed and managed 100% by volunteers? This means that throughout the year, volunteers organize and perform activities including water sampling, collecting benthic macroinvertebrates to gauge long-term river health, and work nights in a laboratory to identify those “bugs?” If you want to learn more or get involved, please contact Michele and Steve (see below for contact information).

Volunteers will take their next samples on Tuesday, August 13, 2024.

Please visit our forum at MerrimackRiver.org/forum and the Upper Merrimack Watershed Association site MerrimackRiver.org for further information. Don’t hesitate to contact us at UMMP@MerrimackRiver.org or 603.796.2615 (landline) should you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Michele L Tremblay                          Stephen C Landry
Program Manager                             Sampling Supervisor