Common Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina) as a Source of Fecal Indicator Bacteria in Freshwater Systems

The United States Total Maximum Daily Load program is required by Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act to clean up waters that do not meet state water quality standards. While conducting research into the bacterial composition of semiaquatic mammal feces, the opportunity presented itself to quantify commonly used pathogen indicator bacteria in the gastrointestinal contents from an ectothermic (cold-blooded) animal, the common snapping turtle. Indicator bacteria concentrations were on the order of 10 6 CFU/ g feces (dry weight basis). The estimated bacterial loadings from this study demonstrate that the common snapping turtle, if present in sufficient numbers, may contribute significant bacterial loadings to waterways and should be considered when developing bacterial Total Maximum Daily Loads and in other bacterial water quality assessments.