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Neuse Riverkeeper Samantha Krop met up with the Little Rock Creek water-quality sampling team to try to figure out source of high levels of bacteria in the creek.

“In urban areas like this, it could be due to anything from outdated sewer infrastructure to pet waste,” Sam said. “We got together to review our past few months of data, dig deeper into our sampling protocols, and talk about next steps for sharing this information with the public.”

Sam said it could also be the ongoing sewer line infrastructure work being done in the area that could be impacting water quality in the creek.

“We hope to see an improvement in bacteria levels in the creek once that work is finished,” she said.

Little Rock Creek runs through the grounds of the Walnut Creek Wetland Center in Raleigh. It’s water-quality sampling team is comprised of the Neuse Riverkeeper, members of the Walnut Creek Community Partners and North Carolina State University researchers, and is supported by a Community Collaborative Research Grant funded by NC Sea Grant and the Water Resources Research Institute.

In addition to documenting creek issues, Sam said the sampling project is an opportunity to bring the community together around the topic of water quality in the beloved and now nationally recognized (via the federal Urban Waters designation) Walnut Creek watershed, and explore what can be done to protect it.