Enterococcus Monitoring in Surf Zone - Coastal Carolina University
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Enterococcus Monitoring in Surf Zone

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Datasets: Enterococcus Monitoring in Surf Zone

Project Description‌
 

The goal of this web application is to allow the user to view Enterococcus measurements made in the coastal waters of the Grand Strand since 1997 by SC DHEC and Coastal Carolina University. Most of this work was performed with funding provided by the US EPA's Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Program that covers sampling from May through October. The city of Myrtle Beach funds additional sampling performed year round. The QAPP for this monitoring work is available at: http://www.scdhec.gov/environment/water/ow_program.htm. A full description of the goals of the monitoring program is provided in the QAPP.

Notes on Data
  1. Enterococci results that fall above or below the method reporting limits have been assigned numerical values to enable statistical analyses. These assignment are as follows:
    • Values below the detection limit are assigned a value of "9."
    • The highest reportable value varies depending on the degree to which a sample has been diluted. The dilution options yield two possible reporting limits, e.g. 2005 or 24,196. Results that lie above these limits are reported as 2006 (= 2005 + 1) and 24,197 (= 24,196 + 1).
  2. To minimize bias from rain and tides, sampling is conducted the same day of the week at about the same time of day. Over time, this strategy generates a dataset that is equally representative of all tide and weather conditions.
  3. Prior to 2003, samples were collected 100 feet north and south of the confluence of the swashes. These results are presented as part of the data record for the swash, so some sampling dates prior to 2003 have multiple results reported. Samples taken after 2003 are collected in the confluence of the swash in knee deep water where the water depth is approximately 0.3 m.
  4. Salinity and conductivity measurements:
    • Starting with 2009, data are reported only at sites monitored by CCU's EQL. These sites are: WAC-15 to WAC-25 and beginning 2013 WAC-01 to WAC-09.
    • For samples with salinity less than 5 PSU, conductivity measurements are also reported. For samples with salinity greater than 5 PSU, only salinity measurements are reported.
Disclaimer

Coastal Carolina University's Environmental Quality Lab (EQL) is providing this online database as a tool to visualize and understand BEACH Act monitoring data collected along the Grand Strand. All Enterococci data reported on this website have been obtained from SC DHEC. Collection and analyses were performed by SC DHEC and Coastal Carolina University's Environmental Quality Lab (EQL). CCU's EQL is not responsible for data that it did not collect.

Please refer to one of the following links for more information on sampling, analyses, and quality control practices:

We review the data as they are displayed at this website and reserve the right to correct errors. If you observe anything questionable, please let us know by emailing VMWQ@coastal.edu.

Future Plans

We are currently working to incorporate precipitation data into this database so that it can be accessed by the associated data visualization tools. If you have any other suggestions, please contact us at: VMWQ@coastal.edu.