Analysis of recreational water quality in the Mohawk River

Siara Tompkins

Faculty: Carolyn Rodak

For this project, monthly water quality data from the Mohawk River was analyzed from 2016 to 2022 to determine the health risks associated with swimming in the Mohawk. The EPA recommends the use of E.coli as a fecal indicator for the evaluation of recreational water quality risks. Therefore, the fecal indicator bacteria E. coli (Escherichia coli) was studied.

This project is a collaboration between SUNY Polytechnic, SUNY Cobleskill, and the Riverkeeper citizen scientist program. These organizations ensure the continued monitoring of the 121 mile length of the Mohawk River and process the water samples collected by citizen scientists.

Some locations along the Mohawk were found to be appropriate for recreation but others, particularly in and around cities with combined stormwater and sewer systems, demonstrated unsafe conditions for recreation from the perspective of recreational health risks.