In collaboration with Dr. Sally Hornor of Anne Arundel Community College, West/Rhode Riverkeeper and other local watershed organizations are undertaking a public health survey.

Frequently, we hear anecdotes about kids and adults getting sick after swimming and about infections of cuts or ear infections. This year we are attempting to gather more complete information about swimming- or boating-related illnesses. Other watershed organizations are doing the same.

To make this reporting as easy as possible, we are using an illness tracking sheet (link above). We are asking you to record any potentially water-related illnesses encountered by any member of your family this summer. This would include illness or infections following swimming or water contact from boating or even just wading in the river. The types of illnesses that are normally associated with water contact are:

• gastrointestinal symptoms such as cramping, diarrhea and vomiting,
• infection of a cut or
• ear infections.

We would also like to know where water contact occurred, whether or not you saw a physician, and the age and gender of the person who became ill.

At the end of the summer, a report will be compiled, and we will share it with our members. Please feel free to share this survey with anyone you know who might be interested. The more data we get, the better will be our understanding of the extent of water-related illnesses in our watersheds.

Thanks in advance for your time and effort in sending in results. For specific questions or to learn more about the survey, please contact Dr. Sally Hornor: 410-777-2842 or

To see results from our weekly bacteria monitoring on the West and Rhode Rivers, please see our Bacteria Results page.

I have heard numerous anecdotes about kids and adults getting sick after swimming and about infections of cuts or ear infections.  This year I’d like to try to gather more complete information about swimming- or boating-related illnesses. I have heard numerous anecdotes about kids and adults getting sick after swimming and about infections of cuts or ear infections. This year I'd like to try to gather more complete information about swimming- or boating-related illnesses.