Water Quality
Water Quality > Hudson River Estuary Data > Albany County & Rensselaer County Sites > Hudson above Mohawk River

Hudson above Mohawk River

close

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

58 Samples taken

Sample Date [i] Enterococcus Count
close

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
08/17/2017 4 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
07/13/2017 71 Beach Advisory 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.3
06/15/2017 7 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
05/18/2017 6 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.3
04/07/2017 >2420 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.9 1.4
10/18/2016 5 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
09/17/2016 27 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/18/2016 30 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.2
07/16/2016 22 Acceptable 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.2
06/18/2016 7 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
05/23/2016 1 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
10/15/2015 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
09/14/2015 81 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.9 1.2 0.1 2.2
08/15/2015 36 Acceptable 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.6
07/11/2015 14 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 1.2 0.0 1.2
06/13/2015 96 Beach Advisory 0.0 1.3 0.0 0.0 1.3
05/14/2015 1 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1
10/16/2014 36 Acceptable 0.3 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.4
09/10/2014 15 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/14/2014 44 Acceptable 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1
07/10/2014 132 Beach Advisory 0.0 1.7 0.4 0.3 2.4
06/15/2014 411 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.1 0.9 0.1 1.1
05/15/2014 12 Acceptable 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.2
10/21/2013 4 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.2
09/21/2013 20 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/19/2013 6 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
07/21/2013 31 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
06/24/2013 30 Acceptable 1.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.4
06/04/2013 238 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 1.1 0.1 1.2
10/15/2012 23 Acceptable 0.4 0.5 0.0 0.1 1.0
09/15/2012 11 Acceptable 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1
08/18/2012 15 Acceptable 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.2 0.3
07/21/2012 6 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.2
06/16/2012 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.2
05/20/2012 11 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
10/16/2011 1733 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.1 1.1 0.3 1.5
09/19/2011 11 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1
08/21/2011 231 Beach Advisory 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4
07/14/2011 11 Acceptable 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.3
07/02/2011 11 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 1.0 1.1 2.1
05/19/2011 91 Beach Advisory 0.8 0.2 0.1 0.5 1.6
10/16/2010 >2420 Beach Advisory 0.0 1.0 0.3 0.0 1.3
09/14/2010 15 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/21/2010 25 Acceptable 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.2
07/19/2010 31 Acceptable 0.0 0.2 0.5 0.0 0.7
06/18/2010 23 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.2
05/25/2010 <1 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
10/23/2009 4 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
09/17/2009 28 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/24/2009 276 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.3 1.0 1.5 2.8
07/31/2009 >2420 Beach Advisory 0.6 0.3 1.0 0.0 1.9
05/15/2009 6 Acceptable 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.5
10/23/2008 <1 Acceptable 0.0 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.3
09/18/2008 6 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/09/2008 41 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 1.3 0.2 1.5
07/17/2008 15 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1
06/19/2008 12 Acceptable 0.0 0.4 0.1 0.9 1.4
05/22/2008 12 Acceptable 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2

Entero Count (fecal indicator) and Rainfall Correlation

58 Samples taken

All Water Quality Parameters

58 Samples taken

Sample Date [i] Entero Count
close

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)
close

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
close

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
close

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
close

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
close

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
08/17/2017 4 Acceptable 77.9 0.1 3.1 5.4 112.1
07/13/2017 71 Beach Advisory 74.7 0.1 0.8 24.0 103.6
06/15/2017 7 Acceptable 72.7 0.1 2 14.8 106.4
05/18/2017 6 Acceptable 63.8 0.1 2.0 18.6 109.5
04/07/2017 >2420 Beach Advisory n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
10/18/2016 5 Acceptable
09/17/2016 27 Acceptable 73.0 0.1 1.9 n/a 103.1
08/18/2016 30 Acceptable 80.1 0.1 2.9 27.1 107
07/16/2016 22 Acceptable 81 0.1 3.8 24.6 103.4
06/18/2016 7 Acceptable 74.5 0.1 0.4 15.3 114.4
05/23/2016 1 Acceptable 66.6 0.1 0.2 20.2 107.2
10/15/2015 10 Acceptable 59.1 0.1 3 8 103
09/14/2015 81 Beach Advisory 74.2 0.1 2.3 8 95
08/15/2015 36 Acceptable 78.8 0.1 3.6 12 105
07/11/2015 14 Acceptable 75.4 0.1 3.2 21 107
06/13/2015 96 Beach Advisory 72.8 0.1 2.6 5 107
05/14/2015 1 Acceptable 66.8 0.1 2.6 13 106
10/16/2014 36 Acceptable 63.5 0.1 5.1 14 101
09/10/2014 15 Acceptable 75.4 0.1 0.5 13 104
08/14/2014 44 Acceptable 75.6 0.1 2.8 8 103
07/10/2014 132 Beach Advisory 76.1 0.1 1.1 54 103
06/15/2014 411 Beach Advisory 69.1 0.1 1.9 38 109
05/15/2014 12 Acceptable 62 0.1 1.1 12 109
10/21/2013 4 Acceptable 59.3 0.1 1.5 100 104
09/21/2013 20 Acceptable 67.1 0.1 3.2 24 106
08/19/2013 6 Acceptable 73.8 0.1 1 50 106
07/21/2013 31 Acceptable 81.1 0.1 2.2 22 104
06/24/2013 30 Acceptable 73.3 0.1 1.9 16 104
06/04/2013 238 Beach Advisory 68.8 0.1 0.6 45 103
10/15/2012 23 Acceptable 56.5 0.1 1.7 10 100
09/15/2012 11 Acceptable 72.5 0.1 0.9 6 110
08/18/2012 15 Acceptable 79.3 0.1 1.4 5 114
07/21/2012 6 Acceptable 81.7 0.1 6.1 11 124
06/16/2012 10 Acceptable 74.1 0.1 1.6 15 108
05/20/2012 11 Acceptable 66.7 0.1 1 14 108
10/16/2011 1733 Beach Advisory 59.9 0.1 1.7 26 102
09/19/2011 11 Acceptable 64.9 0.1 0.9 7 104
08/21/2011 231 Beach Advisory 77.3 0.2 1.5 26 94
07/14/2011 11 Acceptable 77 0.1 6.1 8 n/a
07/02/2011 11 Acceptable 73.8 0.1 0.7 7 n/a
05/19/2011 91 Beach Advisory n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
10/16/2010 >2420 Beach Advisory 54 0.1 1.9 51 102
09/14/2010 15 Acceptable 69.4 0.1 6.1 4 101
08/21/2010 25 Acceptable 78 0.1 2.6 n/a 106
07/19/2010 31 Acceptable 81.3 0.1 8 5 92
06/18/2010 23 Acceptable 70.2 0.1 7 6 103
05/25/2010 <1 Acceptable 74.1 0.1 7 154 112
10/23/2009 4 Acceptable 50.6 0.1 0.4 19 100
09/17/2009 28 Acceptable 68.5 0.2 1.8 8 105
08/24/2009 276 Beach Advisory 76.4 0.1 2 57 103
07/31/2009 >2420 Beach Advisory 72.3 0.1 2.3 107 103
05/15/2009 6 Acceptable 62.3 n/a 1.2 6 108
10/23/2008 <1 Acceptable 52.1 0.1 1.3 0 99
09/18/2008 6 Acceptable n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
08/09/2008 41 Acceptable n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
07/17/2008 15 Acceptable 80.3 0.1 2.1 13 110
06/19/2008 12 Acceptable n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
05/22/2008 12 Acceptable 58.3 0.1 2.5 3 104

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 Riverkeeper, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and CUNY Queens College staff, 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:

Waterford, NY
This site has boating, kayaking and fishing. The Waterford drinking water intake is in the vicinity.

Agencies Responsible:

Rensselaer County Dept. of Health: 518-270-2655, Saratoga County Dept. of Health: 518-584-7460 and NYSDEC Region 4: 518-357-2045

Tell Congress: NY Needs a Robust, Fully Funded EPA
Become a Member

Stay in Touch and Up To Date