Buffalo Creek

Source Information

Satilla Riverkeeper monitors water quality at seven recreational sites on the Satilla River in Georgia. Satilla has been part of Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division outreach program Adopt-A-Stream (AAS) since January of 2014. Satilla Riverkeeper monitoring program is managed by Laura Early. Water at all sites is sampled for E. coli bacteria, as well as for dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, and temperature. Samples are monthly, from May through October. Sites may be re-sampled if elevated levels are encountered. Results are communicated to the public ASAP on the Adopt-A-Stream database http://www.georgiaadoptastream.com/db/Groups.html?GroupID=1906 They are also available on the Satilla Riverkeeper Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Satilla.Riverkeeper Georgia’s criterion for acceptable levels of fecal coliform in water bodies that are used for human recreation is:: 200 (freshwater) & 100 (coastal) cfu/100mL based on a 30-day geometric mean The EPA E. coli standards for human recreation are 126 cfu E.coli /100 ml based on a geometric mean or a one-time measurement equal to or less than 235 cfu/100 ml (Note: EPA BAV: 235 E. coli/100 mL) A swim is marked GREEN when it meets the EPA’s recommended limit of E. coli for recreational waters, which is equal to or less than 126 cfu/100 ml (colony forming units per 100 milliliters of water) based on a geometric mean or a one-time measurement equal to or less than 235 cfu/100 ml. A beach is marked RED when results are equal to or exceed 126 cfu E.coli /100 ml based on a geometric mean or a one-time measurement equal to or more than 235 cfu/100 ml. A beach is marked GREY when reliable information is not available