Lake Samples

For over 50 years the
City of Columbia has been committed to providing public health services through its
Health Department.
These services prevent epidemics and the spread of disease, protect against environmental hazards, promote healthy behaviors, prevent injuries and illness, assure the quality and accessibility of health services and monitor the health of the population.

Water Quality of Local Lakes

During the summer months, water samples are collected from local natural bathing beaches. The Health Department's lab analyzes the water for E. coli.

EPA Criteria for Freshwater Bathing (Full Body Contact) Recreational Water:

Based on a statistically sufficient number of samples (generally not less than 5 samples equally spaced over a 30-day period), the geometric mean of the indicated bacterial densities should not exceed one or the other of the following*:

E. coli: 126 per 100 ml

Water Analysis 2009

	per 100 ml	May	June	July	Aug	Sept
Cedar Lake	E. coli
Lake Cyrene	E. coli	84	53*	10
Fairview Lake	E. coli	91	42	30	7
Hillcreek Lake	E. coli	12	29	3
Hinkson Creek at Capen Park	E. coli	270	185	435		727
W. Hulen Lake	E. coli	18	26	6	10
E. Hulen Lake	E. coli	68	32	24	142
Katy Lake	E. coli
Nifong Lake	E. coli	43	613	6
Quarry Lake	E. coli	10		11		9
Queen Ann Lake	E. coli	41	13*	4
Shalimar Gardens	E. coli	X	X
Twin Lakes (boating area)	E. coli		69	17
Flat Branch at Stadium Crossing	E. coli	326	795*	2420
Flat Branch Park	E. coli	238	579	2420	2420
Woodrail Lake	E. coli	37		16		16

	per 100 ml	7/7	7/14	7/20	7/23	7/30	8/12	8/24
Stephen's Lake	E. coli	13	32	228	23	5	4	4
Flat Branch Park	E. coli					2420	2420	4

*Follow up sample after sample that exceeded the recommended limits. Samples that exceed the recommended limits are re-sampled for three consecutive weeks.

TNTC indicates Too Numerous To Count

~ indicates that the sample was unable to be read due to the overgrowth of another organism.

X indicates that the area is closed for the season.

Return to the Environmental Health Division Homepage or return to the Columbia/Boone County Health Department Homepage

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