Water Quality
Water Quality > Water Quality Testing Locations > New York City, Hudson County & Bergen County Sites > Gowanus Canal

Gowanus Canal

Gowanus Canal
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Physical/Chemical Data

Physical, chemical and biological properties of the surface water that are measured continuously while the patrol boat is underway.

Entero Count (fecal indicator) and Rainfall

31 Samples taken

Sample Date [i] Enterococcus Count
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Entero Count

Enterococcus (“Entero”) is a fecal indicating bacterium that lives in the intestines of humans and other warm-blooded animals. It is the EPA preferred indicator for sewage contamination.

Quality Rain, day of (in) Prior Day 2 Days Prior 3 Days Prior Rain 3 Days Total Rain
Sort Sort Sort Sort Sort Sort Sort Sort
05/31/2013 98 Possible Risk 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.5
10/10/2012 259 Unacceptable 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.5
09/10/2012 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.4
08/13/2012 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.2
07/16/2012 241 Unacceptable 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.3
06/11/2012 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0
05/15/2012 >24196 Unacceptable 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5
10/21/2011 96 Possible Risk 0.0 0.0 1.1 0.0 1.1
09/14/2011 41 Possible Risk 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0
08/16/2011 2603 Unacceptable 0.0 0.6 5.8 0.0 6.4
07/19/2011 1046 Unacceptable 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1
06/27/2011 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0
05/16/2011 >24196 Unacceptable 0.2 0.9 0.0 0.0 1.1
10/12/2010 >24196 Unacceptable 0.1 1.1 0.0 0.0 1.2
09/11/2010 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0
08/17/2010 4884 Unacceptable 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.3
08/09/2010 63 Possible Risk 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0
06/10/2010 882 Unacceptable 0.0 0.9 0.0 0.0 0.9
09/02/2009 30 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0
07/15/2009 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0
06/19/2009 160 Unacceptable 0.0 2.3 0.0 0.0 2.3
05/29/2009 17329 Unacceptable 0.4 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.5
10/15/2008 20 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0
07/23/2008 5790 Unacceptable 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1
05/16/2008 >24196 Unacceptable 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.9 1.1
09/06/2007 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0
08/16/2007 35 Possible Risk 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1
07/11/2007 238 Unacceptable 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1
06/18/2007 6 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0
05/23/2007 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0
04/18/2007 274 Unacceptable 0.0 0.0 0.9 7.6 8.5

Entero Count (fecal indicator) and Rainfall Correlation

31 Samples taken

All Water Quality Parameters

31 Samples taken

Sample Date [i] Entero Count
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Entero Count

Enterococcus (“Entero”) is a fecal indicating bacterium that lives in the intestines of humans and other warm-blooded animals. It is the EPA preferred indicator for sewage contamination.

Quality [i] Temp (f)
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Temperature

Hudson River water temperature changes seasonally. Surface water temperature can change on small scales in the river reflecting natural and human influences.

[i] Salinity
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Salinity

Estuaries like the Hudson are where freshwaters in rivers meet the sea. Salinity tells us about the relative contribution of fresh and salt water within a particular region of the estuary. 

[i] Chlorophyll
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Chlorophyll

A measure of the amount of microscopic algae present in the water. High chlorophyll counts can mean high levels of the nutrients phosphorus and nitrogen, and the threat, or presence, of algae blooms.

[i] Turbidity
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Turbidity

Turbidity is a measure of the amount of fine particles suspended in the water. As turbidity rises, light penetration, a key factor for aquatic plants and algae, diminishes.

[i] Oxygen
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Oxygen

Oxygen concentrations in the water are closely connected to biological activities. Surface waters are typically in equilibrium with the atmosphere such that the oxygen concentration near the surface is close to fully saturated (100%).

Sort Sort Sort Sort Sort Sort Sort Sort
05/31/2013 98 Possible Risk 66.7 18.8 2.8 18.9 77.4
10/10/2012 259 Unacceptable 66.7 23.6 2.6 15.6 35.1
09/10/2012 <10 Acceptable 77.1 24.8 14.7 40 60
08/13/2012 <10 Acceptable 82.7 32.8 24.7 15 302
07/16/2012 241 Unacceptable 80.4 31.9 63.6 95 214
06/11/2012 10 Acceptable 72.9 21.4 37.9 n/a 158
05/15/2012 >24196 Unacceptable 63.5 15.3 7.0 58 86
10/21/2011 96 Possible Risk 61.2 15.9 1.6 9 86
09/14/2011 41 Possible Risk 75.5 10.8 27.2 10 142
08/16/2011 2603 Unacceptable 75.0 22.6 1.4 22 11
07/19/2011 1046 Unacceptable 77.5 22.9 49.5 18 154
06/27/2011 <10 Acceptable 74.9 15.7 34.3 28 185
05/16/2011 >24196 Unacceptable 56.3 18.4 14.8 121 86
10/12/2010 >24196 Unacceptable 65.8 17.5 3.6 7 83
09/11/2010 <10 Acceptable 72.2 26.5 12.1 17 122
08/17/2010 4884 Unacceptable 77.5 25.3 19.7 12 52
08/09/2010 63 Possible Risk n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
06/10/2010 882 Unacceptable n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
09/02/2009 30 Acceptable n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
07/15/2009 <10 Acceptable n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
06/19/2009 160 Unacceptable n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
05/29/2009 17329 Unacceptable n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
10/15/2008 20 Acceptable n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
07/23/2008 5790 Unacceptable 74.2 25.7 4.0 6 72
05/16/2008 >24196 Unacceptable n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
09/06/2007 <10 Acceptable 76.3 25.4 1.8 5 63
08/16/2007 35 Possible Risk 76.0 24.9 1.2 11 32
07/11/2007 238 Unacceptable 70.7 25.0 3.7 26 80
06/18/2007 6 Acceptable n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
05/23/2007 10 Acceptable 65.0 19.3 0.6 5 82
04/18/2007 274 Unacceptable 45.6 10.5 0.1 50 96

Water Quality

Acceptable (0–29)
Possible Risk (30–110)
Unacceptable (111+)
(Enterococcus count per 100mL)

Prior Three Day Rainfall
(in inches)

Dry Weather (0–0.25)
Wet Weather (0.25+)

Rainfall data comes from wunderground.com. Wet weather is a common trigger of fecal contamination.

What do the Numbers Mean?

Water Quality scoring is based on the 2012 Recreational Water Quality Criteria from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for safe swimming. Learn More

About this location:

ALERT: This site is never safe for swimming or fishing

Brooklyn, NY
The Gowanus Canal is an industrial waterway with limited dockage for recreational boats, and some kayaking and canoeing.

The data displayed on these pages relates to the levels of sewage indicating microbes. Even though the levels on a single days can fall within acceptable levels for Enterococcus, these locations are not necessarily acceptable for swimming. Other water quality parameters not reported on this web site such as chemical contamination and floatables should cause users to exercise caution at this site.

Agencies Responsible:

NYCDEP: 212-639-9675 and NYSDEC Region 2: 718-482-4933