Local River Still Has 'Some Issues' with E. Coli

[Story originally posted at 5:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 13]


While no beach advisories have been issued since specialized dogs were brought in to assist North Hampton with bacteria detection and testing along the Little River watershed, officials say bacteria is still washing into the town's fresh and salt waters after storm events.

Little River runoff during heavy periods of rain has long been the problem at North Hampton State Beach, and town Conservation Commission Chairman Chris Ganotis said they're still working to determine exactly how the bacteria is infiltrating the water.

The final report from the dogs' findings — which helped identify "at least two" new "major" bacteria contamination hotspots — has been received, according to Ganotis.

Grant-funded mitigation and bacteria monitoring continues, though, as officials try to determine whether the problem stems from surface or subsurface water at those new hotspots.

"It’s a long process," said Ganotis. "It took years and years to mess that river up, and so I don’t think it’s reasonable that we can expect to clean it up overnight. But we’re chipping away at it, one step at a time, I guess."

Earlier this summer, fecal bacteria-sniffing dogs helped confirm the presence of E. coli and other bacteria in various areas around North Hampton State Beach and Bass Beach. The new hotspots identified included the fish houses on the north end of the main beach, as well as an area around the culvert connected to the nearby marsh.

Ganotis said subsequent lab testing also found "continued deterioration of water quality [near] a few isolated locations along the river." 

The town continues to use a New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services grant to perform runoff mitigation, as well as monitor "high-level bacteria locations that seem to crop up after high water events," according to Ganotis. 

The mitigation may be aided by the removal of the Little River dam, a project Ganotis said was completed roughly two weeks ago. The river is now significantly more "free-flowing," allowing more oxygen into the water and in turn reducing the overall amount of contamination, according to Ganotis.

He said a final summer report for the removal must still be completed. The town is also eyeing other areas of impediment downstream, including "some old logs" that are limiting the flow "just a little bit" not far from the site of the dam, according to Ganotis.

The state has published its end-of-the-season final bacteria testing reports for each of the Seacoast's beaches. Those reports, which provide additional information about North Hampton's bacteria problems and this year's advisories, can be found here.