Local river monitoring group reports generally safe South Fork readings but high E. coli in Hawksbill Creek

A volunteer monitoring group told Page County supervisors on Oct. 7 that summer E. coli sampling on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River showed generally acceptable bacterial readings, while Hawksbill Creek exhibited recurrent high counts.

The presenter summarized weekly sampling results, noting occasional readings at or above the 235 colony‑forming units per 100 milliliters threshold used for advisories and that a recent test returned counts over 1,000 CFU/100 mL at Hawksbill. He attributed much of the bacterial loading historically to cattle (about half in past source‑tracking studies), with wildlife, pets and some human signature from leaking sewer infrastructure or septic systems contributing in parts of the watershed. The presenter praised recent farmer fencing efforts that exclude livestock from the river and described state cost‑share programs (Virginia Water Quality Improvement Fund and local Soil & Water District assistance) available to help farmers install best‑management practices, including buffer payments for taking land out of pasture alongside streams.

The presenter recommended reviving a Page County water‑quality advisory committee to restore coordinated sampling, public information and farmer outreach; he noted that a local representative who once served on the advisory committee is no longer on the board and that Virginia Department of Health support for a local technical lead is limited. Board members acknowledged the monitoring and urged the town of Luray to continue planned wastewater infrastructure work; the presenter said the town is budgeting repairs to manholes and pipe lining to reduce inflow and infiltration.

The presentation did not allege regulatory violations but highlighted recurring Hawksbill creek exceedances and recommended continued monitoring, outreach to farmers about voluntary BMPs, and local coordination to provide consistent public advisories.