Linda and Carroll Vogel are in charge of collecting water samples at two lake coves near Route EE for E. coli.
This is the first year for the Lake of the Ozarks Watershed Alliance volunteer couple to participate, and they say despite June’s unappealing results near the public beaches, their coves have come up clean with each sampling this summer.
The Department of Natural Resources designates certain areas of the lake to be tested, each year changing the line up. According to their Web site, they intend to monitor 30 coves, mainly near Linn Creek, the Niangua Arm and Hurricane Deck.
“We use a GPS to locate the spot and get as close as we can to it each time,” Linda Vogel said. “We test the areas three times a year, making notes about the environment too, especially if there is anything unusual there like debris, extremely murky water or a foul smell.”
Because of rain, the test scheduled for Monday morning was cancelled and will be rescheduled for Monday, Aug. 17.
"Runoff from the ground can contaminate water. If we would test right after a rainstorm, the readings might be higher," Carroll Vogel said. "We aren't waiting a week for the water to clear before testing again; it just happens that we do testing on Mondays, so we just shifted it a week."
What is E. coli?
Definition A type of bacteria commonly found in the intestines and feces of healthy warm-blooded animals and humans.
Strains There are more than 100 different strains; most are harmless. Serious illnesses result from the E. coli O157:H7 strain, usually associated with cattle, deer, goats and sheep.
Lake Contamination Some culprits include faulty septic tanks or sewer systems, wastewater treatment facilities, large concentrations of waterfowl, and runoff.
Other Ways Eating undercooked, contaminated beef, contaminated sprouts and vegetables, and drinking unpasteurized milk can also cause E. coli-related illnesses.
Symptoms of illness Diarrhea, stomach cramps and nausea are the most commonly reported symptoms.
Source - www.dnr.mo.gov
On the Net
To find out more about E. coli, go to
www.dnr.mo.gov.
To see the lake’s E. coli test results, go to
www.soslowa.org.
