Goose Rocks Beach Rivers Water Quality Test Results

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Mouth of the Little Riveer
There is a continuous advisory at Goose Rocks Beach at the Batson River and Little River and water contact is not advised.
 
Recent Testing Results:   (Testing will resume June 2024)

DATE: August 28, 2023 

  • Goose Rocks Beach, Little River (GR-1):  20 MPN/100ml Enterococci bacteria ("flag" bacteria)
  • Goose Rocks Beach, Batson River (GR-5):  41 MPN/100ml Enterococci bacteria ("flag" bacteria)

 

  • Tidal river temperatures: 
    • Little River (GR#1) 18.5 degrees C or 65.3 degrees F
    • Batson River (GR#5) 17.8 degrees C or  64.04 degrees F

Maine's EPA-approved Beach Action Value (or single sample maximum safety threshold) for Enterococci in marine waters is 104 MPN/100 mL. Enterococci bacteria results greater than or equal to 104 MPN/100ml  and human bacteria greater than or equal to 525 copies/100ml are considered unsafe levels for water contact. 

DateMouth of the Little River (GR-1)Mouth of the Batson River (GR-5)
August 28, 202320 MPN/100ml Enterococci bacteria41 MPN/100ml Enterococce bacteria
August 21, 2023173 MPN/100ml Enterococci bacteria160 MPN/100ml Enterococci bacteria
August 16, 2023203 MPN/100ml Enterococci bacteria465 MPN/100ml Enterococci bacteria
August 14, 202330 MPN/100ml Enterococci bacteria52 MPN/100ml Enterococci bacteria
August 9, 2023341 MPN/100ml Enterococci bacteria6131 MPN/100 ml Enterococci bacteria
August 7, 2023108 MPN/100 ml Enterococci bacteria97 MPN/100ml Enterococci bacteria
July 31, 2023474 MPN/100ml Enterococci bacteria135 MPN/100ml Enterococci bacteria
July 24, 202320 MPN/100ml Enterococci bacteria<10 MPN/100ml Enterococci bacteria
July 19, 2023341 MPN/100ml Enterococci bacteria305 MPN/100ml Enterococci bacteria
July 17, 20231211 MPN/100ml Enterococci bacteria1039 MPN/100ml Enterococci bacteria
July 10, 2023110 MPN/100mL Enterococci bacteria<10 MPN/100mL Enterococci bacteria
July 5, 2023862 MPN/100mL Enterococci bacteria1039 MPN/100mL Enterococci bacteria
June 26, 202310 MPN/100mL Enterococci bacteria<10 MPN/100mL Enterococci bacteria
June 21, 2023708 MPN/100ml Enterococci bacteria1354 MPN/100mL Enterococci bacteria
June 14, 202320 MPN/100mL Enterococci bacteria<10 MPN/100mL Enterococci bacteria
June 12, 202310 MPN/100mL Enterococci bacteria10 MPN/100mL Enterococci bacteria
June 8, 202352 MPN/100mL Enterococci bacteria41 MPN/100mL Enterococci bacteria
June 7, 2023350 MPN/100mL Enterococci bacteria41 MPN/100mL Enterococci bacteria
June 5, 2023231 MPN/100mL Enterococci bacteria221 MPN/100mL Enterococci bacteria
May 31, 202310 MPN/100mL Enterococci bacteria<10 MPN/100mL Enterococci bacteria
   
   

Results of DNA testing

DateMouth of the Little River (GR-1)Mouth of the Batson River (GR-5)
August 21, 2023Human bacteria (DNA)- (resulted 8/25/2023) none detectedHuman bacteria (DNA)- (resulted 8/25/2023) none detected
August 7, 2023Human bacteria (DNA)- (resulted 8/11/2023) none detectedHuman bacteria (DNA) - (resulted 8/11/2023) none detected
July 19, 2023Human bacteria (DNA)- (resulted 7/25/2023) none detectedHuman bacteria (DNA) - (resulted 7/25/2023) none detected
July 14, 2023Human bacteria (DNA) - (resulted 7/18/23) none detected Human bacteria (DNA)- (resulted 7/18/23) none detected
July 12, 2023Retest: Human bacteria (DNA)- (resulted 7/14/23) 5045 copies/100mlNo test required
July 5, 2023Human bacteria (DNA)- (resulted 7/10/23) 5140 copies/100ml Human bacteria (DNA)- (resulted 7/10/23) none detected
June 28, 2023No test requiredRetest: Human bacteria (DNA) - (resulted 6/30/23) none detected
June 21, 2023Human bacteria (DNA) - (resulted 6/27/23): none detectedHuman bacteria (DNA) - (resulted 6/27/23): 10250 copies/100ml
June 5, 2023Human bacteria (DNA) - (resulted 6/9/23) none detected Human bacteria (DNA) - (resulted 6/9/23) none detected
   
   

Below is a map of the river testing sites at Goose Rocks Beach (sites GR-1 and GR-5):

river testing sites

Testing at Batson River and Little River at Goose Rocks Beach

Due to continued heightened levels of Enterococci bacteria at the mouths of the Batson River and Little River, the Town has decided to permanently post Warning signs for both rivers stating the water contact is not advised.  The Town will continue to test both rivers each week and will post these test results to both the Town website and to the State of Maine for storage within their databases.  Because Warning signs have been posted stating a continual water quality risk, the rivers have been moved to a “dormant” category withing the Maine Healthy Beaches program and thus the river testing results will not appear on the Maine Healthy Beaches website. 
 

Water Quality Testing

Since 2004, the Town of Kennebunkport has voluntarily participated in the Maine Healthy Beaches Program. Many Maine communities participate in this federally funded program to ensure that swim beaches across coastal Maine are monitored for bacteria that could potentially cause illness and the public notified when water quality may not be safe. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, Kennebunkport Public Health staff and volunteers conduct weekly testing at two locations on Goose Rocks Beach (GR-2 and GR-4) and one location at Colony Beach. The Town also conducts testing at the mouth of the Batson and Little Rivers, but not as part of the Maine Healthy Beaches program.
 

The MHB program supports monitoring of the fecal indicator bacteria Enterococcus at coastal beaches. This type of bacteria is associated with the fecal material of humans and other warm-blooded animals. The US EPA recommends using this bacteria to indicate the possible presence of unsafe pathogens in the water because there are too many pathogens to test for individually. While unlikely to cause illnesses themselves, the presence of these bacteria in the water suggests that other pathogens that could pose a health risk may be present as well. It is important to the Town of Kennebunkport to provide this information to allow people to make informed decisions.

For more detailed information regarding water quality monitoring of the Goose Rocks Beach Watershed view A Tale of Tide and Turf.

Unique Challenges Presented at Goose Rocks Beach

Managing water quality at Goose Rocks Beach is more challenging than most open water beaches in Maine because of two tidal rivers that bookend the beach. The brackish waters of tidal rivers can naturally carry higher levels of bacteria. Analysis of the data from Goose Rocks Beach since 2004, shows that the Batson and Little River testing sites experience more elevated bacteria levels (especially at low tide), while the main swimming beach does not. Heavy rainfall and strong tides can also increase the chance for high bacteria levels. After a heavy rainfall, the Maine Healthy Beaches program recommends that swimmers avoid water contact for at least 24 hours. Following elevated bacteria results, the Maine Healthy Beaches program recommends that swimmers avoid those specific areas until water quality results are below the safety threshold (104 MPN/100ml).