Bethany, Good-bye and THANK YOU!
It’s that time of year again when we say goodbye to our summer interns as they return to continue or complete their education. This summer, we were lucky to have Bethany join our team to support our weekly E. coli testing program. Bethany’s role meant early mornings (even if only twice a week!), donning waders, […]
E. coli Testing Update: Results to Be Posted Tomorrow
We have finished setting up the E. coli tests for the water samples collected today. The Main-stem, South Fork, and North Fork of the Shenandoah River remain murky with visible brown discoloration. E. coli enumeration results will be posted tomorrow, Thursday July 24, after the readings are completed and validated.
Shenandoah River is murky and swiftly flowing
Good Morning from the Shenandoah! So far this morning, the Shenandoah River, at FOSR’s water-quality monitoring sites along the main-stem, is murky, high, and swiftly flowing. Be sure to check back for the latest results from FOSR’s Summer Weekly E. coli Testing Program, the results from the monitoring we are doing today will be posted tomorrow! […]
07.09.2025 Weekly E. coli testing being performed and provided to you by the FOSR
Good morning, the Friends of the Shenandoah River’s laboratory staff and volunteer citizen scientists, B. Suhr and S. Bonney, have loaded the car with the water-quality monitoring equipment, put on waders, and headed out this morning to collect the water samples for this week’s summer E. coli testing program. However, despite our best efforts, the […]
07.02.2025 Hawksbill Creek E. coli level 37.5 times Higher than Alert for Freshwater Recreation
On Wednesday, July 02, 2025, E. coli levels in Hawksbill Creek measured 8,164 MPN CFU per 100 mL of sample, 37.5 times the EPA’s recommended “do not exceed” Beach Action Value (BAV) of 235 CFU/100 mL, serving as an early alert to those considering recreating in freshwater.
“If It’s Brown Turn Around”
06.18.2025 Today while collecting water samples, we encountered turbid, swift, and high-flowing waters in the Main-stem, North Fork, and South Fork of the Shenandoah River. We observed large logs and debris being quickly carried downstream. Remember: “If it’s brown, turn around!” Stay safe and avoid entering muddy fast-moving.
Another Week of Elevated E. coli Levels Detected in Hawksbill Creek at Luray-Hawksbill Greenway Pocket Park
On Thursday, May 29, water testing at Hawksbill Creek at Luray-Hawksbill Greenway Pocket Park off Virginia Avenue, Page County showed E. coli levels of 2,909.0 CFU/100 mL—more than 12 times the EPA’s recommended safety limit for recreational waters. What This Means: High E. coli levels can indicate the presence of harmful bacteria and pathogens, which […]
Elevated E. coli Levels Detected in Hawksbill Creek at Luray-Hawksbill Greenway Pocket Park
As part of our 2025 Summer E. coli Testing Program, on Thursday May 22, 2025, we have detected continued elevated levels of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in Hawksbill Creek at the Luray-Hawksbill Greenway Pocket Park off Virginia Avenue in Page County VA. Test results showed E. coli concentrations exceeding 2,419.6 CFU/100 mL, surpassing the EPA’s […]
Celebrate Delaware North in Shenandoah National Park’s Earth Day 2025 Event with Friends of the Shenandoah River
This SATURDAY April 19 from 2 – 5PM at Skyland, Delaware North in Shenandoah National Park, join Friends of the Shenandoah River to celebrate our natural waterways at Shenandoah National Park by participating in hands-on activities, learning about local water quality issues, and discovering how you can get involved in efforts to protect and improve […]
Concerns about Elevated E. coli Levels in Hawksbill Creek, Page County Virginia
A local resident, concerned about the upcoming youth activities planned in and around Hawksbill Creek, Page County Virginia, reached out to the Friends of the Shenandoah River (FOSR) to conduct E. coli testing at two sites along Hawksbill Creek on April 9, 2025. One of the sites was at the Greenway Pocket Park, located downstream of […]