Many of the sites tested on the Wallkill and Rondout exceeded that threshold by the hundreds and even thousands. For example, samples taken from Springtown Road Landing, near New Paltz, and Shawangunk Kill at Route 9W on the Wallkill had counts of 10,462 and 9804 respectively — astounding numbers, especially considering that there had been only two inches of rain in the preceding five days. (Heavy rainfall is associated with higher bacteria counts up and down the river and its tributaries.)
On the Rondout, the Creek Locks Road site tested at 2420 in June; on the same day, High Falls swimming hole tested at 361, while Kingston Point Beach, located on the Hudson, tested at 219 — its highest bacteria count for 2012. In July Creek Locks Road tested at 157, while High Falls swimming hole was at 42 — a possible risk. Kingston Point tested at two.
Contrary to perception, Kingston Point Beach, which is one of 80 sites on the Hudson and the tidal portion of its tributaries that has been tested by Riverkeeper since 2008, is usually, thanks to the Hudson River’s huge volumes of water, a safer place to swim than anywhere on the two creeks. Almost a quarter of the water-quality tests at that brick-littered beach over that four-year period were at unacceptable levels, especially after heavy rains. That’s the same overall percentage for the entire Hudson River from 2006 to 2012. (Riverkeeper didn’t start testing the upper river sites until 2008.) During the same six-year period, the unsafe EPA swimming standards for U.S beaches overall was seven percent.
The county health department (UCDOH) tests the county’s four official bathing beaches at Kingston Point and Ulster Landing on the Hudson and the Saugerties village beach and Tongore Park on the Esopus. The two Hudson River beaches were tested for E. coli once a month from June through August, according to information the UCDOH supplied to Riverkeeper in March 2012. The frequency with which it tests the other two beaches is not known. Also unknown is whether tests are done after a rain event and if so, whether these beaches are temporarily closed. (The department did not return phone calls to confirm.)
