Water Quality
Water Quality > Tributary and Waterfront Data > Wallkill River > Sparta, NJ- Mohawk Lake source waters

Sparta, NJ- Mohawk Lake source waters

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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

22 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 4 Days Total Rain
Sort Sort Sort Sort Sort Sort Sort Sort
09/14/2019 2420 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1
08/10/2019 >2420 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.4 0.7
07/13/2019 >2420 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.4
06/15/2019 2420 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.2
06/09/2018 119 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
10/14/2017 166 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.1 0.3
09/09/2017 140 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.5 0.5
08/12/2017 122 Beach Advisory 0.6 0.9 0.0 0.2 1.7
07/08/2017 50 Acceptable 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 2.0
06/10/2017 13 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
05/13/2017 <1 Acceptable 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2
10/15/2016 64 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1
09/17/2016 141 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/20/2016 74 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1
06/18/2016 30 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
05/23/2016 9 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
10/31/2015 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.2 1.0 1.3
09/26/2015 >2420 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/29/2015 291 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
07/25/2015 54 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
06/27/2015 49 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
05/30/2015 29 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Entero Count (fecal indicator) and Rainfall Correlation

22 Samples taken

Water Quality*

Acceptable (0–60) Beach Advisory (61+)

*Single sample thresholds;
Enterococcus count per 100mL

Prior Four Day Rainfall
(in inches)

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

Enterococcus is an EPA-approved fecal contamination indicator.

Samples taken by citizen scientists trained by Riverkeeper, and processed on the Riverkeeper vessel, according to the 2014 Quality Assurance Project Plan.

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:

This impounded lake, created in the early 20th century, is the source of the Wallkill River. At the time that the lake was created, the area was used for farming and livestock, and the historical headwaters flowed through pasture. The Mohawk Lake Association now owns the lake and permits Riverkeeper's sampling partners to access the spillway for sampling. There are several swimming beaches along the lakeshore.

Agencies Responsible:

NJDEP

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