Before You Jump In!

Urban runoff muddies a Charlotte stream after a storm

Clean And Clear Catawba, by Alice Battle

This summer has been marked thunderstorms in the late afternoon and evenings.  Some of the storms have been quite severe with heavy runoff, lightening strikes and downed trees.

The temperature of the lakes has been high because of the heat during the day, but the storms at night have cooled the water down. This makes swimming more refreshing and enjoyable.

Other effects of the storms are not readily noticeable.  Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Department tests the water in Mountain Island Lake to protect the drinking water supply.  The July testing was done after a rain event the night before.

The results of the testing show that two sites on the lake had high rates of fecal coliform bacteria, also known as E. Coli. The sites were the Latta Park Canoe Launch and Nance Cove. Another site with measureable amounts of the bacteria was McDowell Creek Cove.

Fecal coliform lives in the intestines of warm-blooded animals. The bacteria may cause gastroenteritis, dysentery and ear infections and may indicate the potential presence of disease carrying organisms, which live in the same environment.   

Streams and creeks which start in the city and rural areas carry the runoff from the land they pass through.  They all find their way into the coves and eventually the lakes.

None of the numbers reported were high enough to call for “No Swimming,”  Caution dictates that it is best to wait for the water to clear before swimming in the lakes. Don’t jump in right after a storm.

About Alice Battle – Alice lives on Mountain Island Lake has served on numerous groups devoted to protecting the lake, including the Duke Energy Relicensing stakeholders group. She currently is Lakekeeper for the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation.