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South Carolina Water Science Center Publications: FS 131-98

Pesticides and bacteria in an urban stream; Gills Creek, Columbia, South Carolina

By Maluk, Terry L.

USGS Fact Sheet FS 131-98

This report is available online as a group of searchable images: USGS FS 131-98

Introduction

As part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NA WQA), water quality in the Santee River Basin and coastal drainages study area (SANT) is being assessed. Gills Creek, an urban stream in Columbia, South Carolina. was studied during a low streamflow period in September 1996. During the study, streamflows were in the lower 30 percent of the 1996 flows in Gills Creek. Samples from 16 sites were collected over 4 days and analyzed for pesticides and fecal coliform bacteria. This fact sheet presents the results of the Gills Creek Basin study.

Significant Findings

• Ten different pesticides were detected in the Gills Creek Basin.
• Samples from 14 of 16 sites had detectable concentrations of at least one pesticide, and 12 sites had at least five pesticides detected.
• Pesticide detection frequency increased as the percentage of urban land use increased.
• Tebuthiuron was detected most frequently (14 sites), followed by diazinon (13 sites), and atrazine (12 sites).
• Diazinon, carbaryl, and dieldrin concentrations exceeded aquatic life standards in some samples.
• Fecal coliform concentrations exceeded 400 colonies per 100 milliliters at 8 of the 16 sites.

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