Fecal coliform contaminates stormwater run-off sample

Relatively high amounts of fecal coliform bacteria were found in stormwater samples gathered in the first post-stormwater project sampling taken on May 21.

The results of the sampling showed significant improvement in water chemistry over the samples taken before the project began, but there were still higher than desired amounts of total organic carbon, nitrogen and fecal coliform.

Susan Hanson, chair of the Bigfork Stormwater Advisory Committee, said the committee is looking for a solution to the fecal coliform in the form of doggie bag stations at key points around downtown.

“If most people did that (cleaned up after their dogs), then the fecal coliform content would go down significantly,” Hanson said.

The samples were taken from the Grand Drive stormwater outfall. The project so far has taken place at three different sites in Bigfork, Grand Drive, River Street and Electric Avenue. BSAC is still waiting to finish the project at two different sites on Bridge Street.

Not only was the project designed to reduce the stormwater flowing off pavement and flooding, it was also designed to bring Bigfork up to Montana Department of Environmental Quality standards for stormwater pollutants that flow into water sources like Flathead Lake.

BSAC has overseen the installation of equipment designed to reduce the influx of pollutants into the Swan River, Bigfork Bay and Flathead Lake since 2008. That equipment includes hydrodynamic separators, an Imbrium Jellyfish filtering system and Filterra Units.

Hydrodynamic separators use the way water flows to remove pollutants that float such as trash, debris and oil, from those that settle, such as sediment. Jellyfish systems have a membrane filter in them designed to remove dissolved pollutants, such as nitrogen, from stormwater as it flows through the filter. Filterra Units use plants and soil to filter stormwater.

Pre-test samples taken from Bigfork’s bay by the Flathead Lake Biological Station in 1996 sparked the start of the stormwater project. The samples showed that too many pollutants were being discharged into the bay.

The only way to gauge how many pollutants the system takes out of stormwater before it hits the bay is to compare samples taken before the $1.3 million system was put in with samples from now.

So far, Hanson said, it would appear that the new stormwater system is doing its job and reducing the amount of several pollutants to below the levels allowed by the Montana DEQ.

However, the samples taken in May were just the first of several needed to get an adequate data set to compare with the samples taken before the project started.

The remainder of the samples will need to be taken during major weather events that increase the flow of stormwater significantly.

The Bridge Street portion of the project is waiting on approval from county commissioners before BSAC can move forward with the steps to form a Rural Special Improvement District to pay for it.

RSID’s are tax-based districts used to pay for infrastructure improvements. Construction costs are expected to be about $1.2 million. The first three projects were paid for with grant funding from the Montana DEQ. Hanson said getting more grant funding to finish the project is dependant upon the community being willing to put up funds in the form of an RSID.

County commissioners need to approve about $7,000 in county funding to establish a boundary zone for the RSID to pay the engineering firm, 48 North, to prepare for the RSID’s resolution of intent, and to pay for a final round of surveys to be sent out to residents in the boundary area.

BSAC has their next meeting with county commissioners on Oct. 2 at 9:45 a.m. Hanson said commissioners are expected to make a decision at that meeting. BSAC is asking residents with an interest in seeing the project succeed to write county commissioners and express their support.

Letters can be written via email by visiting http://flathead.mt.gov/commis sioner/contact_us.php and filling out the form, or they can be mailed to 800 South Main, Room 302, Kalispell, MT 59901-5420.