Illinois River bacteria exceeds limits

Published: May 31, 2008

TULSA _ An analysis of a northeast Oklahoma river popular with swimmers and rafters found bacteria at three to four times permitted levels, the Department of Environmental Quality reported.

Analysis of water samples drawn Wednesday from the Illinois River indicated levels of Enterococci and E. Coli exceeded federal water quality standards for the bacteria, said Skylar McElhaney, a DEQ spokeswoman.

The findings came one week after similar tests found the water to be well within federal standards.

"Last week, numbers were pretty good; this week indicates there are high levels of bacteria in the river," McElhaney said.

But she cautioned that "drastically different results" in water quality testing are not uncommon when dealing with rivers.

The most recent test results follow the Memorial Day weekend when thousands of visitors used the Illinois River and surrounding area. The test results also follow a week during which heavy rains have saturated the watershed.

The testing was conducted by the Department of Environmental Quality at the request of the Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission.

Water samples from the river will be taken Sundays and Wednesdays under a program that will continue through September.

The DEQ doesn't plan to issue any specific warnings regarding use of the Illinois River beyond a routine health warning it gives prior to each summer for all rivers and streams in the state, McElhaney said. The agency may call attention to any exceedances as the project continues to develop, she said.

The Illinois River watershed is the subject of a federal lawsuit by Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson against several poultry companies. The sampling program is not associated with the lawsuit.

Edmondson contends the poultry industry is a major contributor of bacteria to the watershed, a charge denied by the industry.

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