The Bacterial Quality of an Upland Stream

In: Water and environment journal, Band 10, Heft 4, S. 273-279

Abstract

AbstractFaecal coliform concentrations were determined at stream and water inflow sampling sites within an upland catchment in North Derbyshire containing rough, semiimproved and improved pastures. The results indicated that, during its passage through the catchment, the faecal indicators of the stream increased, and this may constitute a health risk to cavers using a popular recreational cave into which the stream drains. The decline in streamwater quality suggests that a semipermanent store of bacteria existed in catchment soils, and hydrological processes operated to transfer bacteria from the land to the stream channel. Contrary to expectations, intra‐catchment differences in the bacterial quality of water at inflow and stream sampling sites could not be related to the intensity of agricultural land use in adjacent areas. This is explained with reference to changes in the nature of hydrological transport pathways associated with the improvement of pastures.