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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br /> <br />The City of Elk River conducts routine sampling at the Lake Orono City Beach for fecal <br />coliform; this testing has been done since 1993. On July 3, 2002 the City of Elk River closed the <br />beach due to elevated levels of this contaminant. The Beach reopened on August 8, 2002 after <br />levels decreased below Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) guidelines for recreational use. <br /> <br />Studies were conducted to aid in determining the source(s) of the fecal coliform contamination <br />and why the fecal coliform counts were elevated at the beach. Sherburne County Soil Water <br />Conservation District (SWCD) and the Lake Orono Improvement Association collected surface <br />water samples both upstream of, and w/thin, Lake Orono. Environmental specialists from the <br />City of Elk River and Sherburne County canoed and inspected the Elk River upstream for visual <br />signs of possible contamination sources. In conjunction with the County and Lake Association <br />efforts, the City 'of Elk River retained Liesch Associates, Inc. to coordinate the laboratory <br />analyses of split samples for coliform to ascertain if the contamination was indicative of human <br />or non-human waste origin. <br /> <br />The findings of these studies suggest that feedlots upstream of Lake Orono are one of the likely <br />main contributors to the elevated fecal coliform levels observed in Lake Orono this past summer. <br />Generally, levels of fecal coliform in the Elk River upstream of Lake Orono were similar to or <br />higher than those from the Lake Orono City Beach area. Near record high precipitation for the <br />watershed also likely had an effect on the occurrence of the contamination as well. <br /> <br />Recommendations presented in this Preliminary Assessment Report include continued <br />monitoring at the City Beach in 2003 for fecal coliform. Known sources of the contamination <br />should be assessed and mitigated. If the problem arises again in the future, additional monitoring <br />should be completed to determine sources. <br /> <br /> LIESCH ASSOCIATES, INC. <br />· Jan-2003 · Hydrogeologists. Engineers · Environmental Scientists · Page i - <br /> <br /> <br />