Impact from heavy rainfall can affect fun on the river
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - After all the rain the CSRA saw last week, river officials are making sure the Savannah River and other waterways are safe.
The motors cranking and boats zipping across the Savannah River prove summer is here. During the summer, it’s expected for E. coli levels to go up from river flood water flowing in.
Savannah Riverkeeper posts the results from their weekly water tests here.
“It’s been a really interesting summer,” Tonya Bonitatibus with Savannah RiverKeeper said. “So far leading into summer, we’ve had a lot more rain than normal.”
Record rainfall can through the CSRA throughout the week.
“With us working down here on the river, we saw it come in and we knew the water level was going to go up, but we didn’t know it was gonna go up as fast,” Greg LaBelle, owner of Two Dudes and a Kayak Rentals, said.
When the water flows, dirt and trash moves into the river.
“Rain events wash all this stuff that’s built up on the concrete into our creeks, into our streams and into the river,” Bonitatibus said.
When trash flows into the river, a build up is caused on the water.
“The good thing about the heavy rains and the water going up is that it washes things out but then the downfall of it is the river right now has a ton of trash that’s floating down,” LaBelle said.
There is more floating in the water we cannot see.
“We test for E. coli and it is high right now and that’s to be expected,” Bonitatibus said. “It’s generally good advice during this time of year to not submerge yourself completely in the river after big events for sure.”
Other cautions to keep in mind include not drinking the water and keeping any open wounds covered up.
“When you get home the first thing that you want to do is take a full shower and before you get in your vehicles use the restrooms to wash your hands and use the sanitizer,” LaBelle said.
E. coli levels rising after a high rainfall is expected. Savannah Riverkeeper recommends giving it a couple of days before completely jumping back in the water.
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