Virtual presentation at the Delaware Riverkeeper Network's 2020 Watershed Congress by Raven Bier, Ph.D., Savannah River Ecology Lab, and Jinjun Kan, Ph.D., Stroud Water Research Center. Abstract: Fecal indicator bacteria counts are high in the headwaters of Delaware River Basin and relate to different seasons and land uses. Bacteria and pathogen contamination in water resources is a major water quality concern nationwide. However, little is known on the degree of potential bacterial contaminations in headwater streams. From summer 2016, we have monitored fecal indicator bacteria (FIB, i.e. E. coli and enterococci) at headwaters across Delaware River Watershed clusters, including the Brandywine and Christina, Middle Schuylkill, New Jersey Highlands, Poconos/Kittatinny, and Upper Lehigh Clusters. From 2018 we have also monitored FIB in an agricultural headwater stream to compare subsurface and surface flow sources during baseflow. We found high concentrations of FIB at numerous headwater sites with substantial spatial and temporal variation. For most sites, FIB counts were higher in the warm season (May to October) and were higher from surface than subsurface flow. Weak relationships occurred between FIB counts with temperature, land uses, and watershed size. Although FIB counts disagreed with “good” quality stream MAIS scores (from aquatic insect data), the full bacteria community did differ by MAIS score. Several non-fecal indicator bacteria groups were also identified. Overall, FIB counts in headwaters are generally high in the warm season, but the origin of these bacteria and their implications to public health remain open questions in need of being addressed.

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