Water Quality > Water Quality Testing Locations > New York City, Hudson County & Bergen County > Gowanus Canal
Gowanus Canal
About this location:
ALERT: This site is never safe for swimming or fishing
Brooklyn, NY
The Gowanus Canal is an industrial waterway with limited dockage for recreational boats, and some kayaking and canoeing.
The data displayed on these pages relates to the levels of sewage indicating microbes. Even though the levels on a single days can fall within acceptable levels for Enterococcus, these locations are not necessarily acceptable for swimming. Other water quality parameters not reported on this web site such as chemical contamination and floatables should cause users to exercise caution at this site.
Agencies Responsible:
NYCDEP: 212-639-9675 and NYSDEC Region 2: 718-482-4933
Basic Sampling Data
Physical, chemical and biological properties of the surface water that are measured continuously while the patrol boat is underway.
Water Quality, Enterococcus Count and Precipitation
24 Samples taken
| Sample Date |
[i]
Enterococcus Count Enterococcus CountEnterococcus is a commonly used indicator of water quality and sewage contamination. |
Quality | Rain, day of (in) |
Prior Day | 2 Days Prior |
3 Days Prior |
5 Days Prior |
|---|
| 10/21/2011 | 96 | Possible Risk | 0 | 0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| 09/14/2011 | 41 | Possible Risk | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 08/16/2011 | 2603 | Unacceptable | 0 | 0.6 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.4 |
| 07/19/2011 | 1046 | Unacceptable | 0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| 06/27/2011 | <10 | Acceptable | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.6 |
| 05/16/2011 | 24196 | Unacceptable | 0.2 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| 10/12/2010 | 24196 | Unacceptable | 0.1 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| 09/11/2010 | <10 | Acceptable | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 08/17/2010 | 4884 | Unacceptable | 0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| 08/09/2010 | 63 | Possible Risk | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 06/10/2010 | 882 | Unacceptable | 0 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| 09/02/2009 | 30 | Acceptable | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.1 |
| 07/15/2009 | <10 | Acceptable | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.4 |
| 06/19/2009 | 160 | Unacceptable | 0 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.8 |
| 05/29/2009 | 17329 | Unacceptable | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| 10/15/2008 | 20 | Acceptable | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 07/23/2008 | 5790 | Unacceptable | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 05/16/2008 | 24196 | Unacceptable | 0 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| 09/06/2007 | <10 | Acceptable | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 08/16/2007 | 35 | Possible Risk | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| 07/11/2007 | 238 | Unacceptable | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 06/18/2007 | 6 | Acceptable | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 05/23/2007 | 10 | Acceptable | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 |
| 04/18/2007 | 274 | Unacceptable | 0 | 0 | 0.9 | 8.5 | 8.5 |
Basic Sampling Data
24 Samples taken
| Sample Date |
[i]
Enterococcus Count Enterococcus CountEnterococcus is a commonly used indicator of water quality and sewage contamination. |
Quality | Temperature (f) |
Salinity | Chlorophyll | Turbidity | Oxygen |
|---|
| 10/21/2011 | 96 | Possible Risk | 61.2 | 15.9 | 1.6 | 9 | 86 |
| 09/14/2011 | 41 | Possible Risk | 75.5 | 10.8 | 27.2 | 9.5 | 142.2 |
| 08/16/2011 | 2603 | Unacceptable | 75 | 22.6 | 1.4 | 22 | 11 |
| 07/19/2011 | 1046 | Unacceptable | 77.5 | 22.9 | 49.5 | 18 | 154 |
| 06/27/2011 | <10 | Acceptable | 74.9 | 15.7 | 34.3 | 28 | 185 |
| 05/16/2011 | 24196 | Unacceptable | 56.3 | 18.4 | 14.8 | 121 | 86 |
| 10/12/2010 | 24196 | Unacceptable | 65.8 | 17.5 | 3.6 | 7 | 83 |
| 09/11/2010 | <10 | Acceptable | 72.2 | 26.5 | 12.1 | 17 | 122 |
| 08/17/2010 | 4884 | Unacceptable | 77.5 | 25.3 | 19.7 | 12 | 52 |
| 08/09/2010 | 63 | Possible Risk | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 06/10/2010 | 882 | Unacceptable | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 09/02/2009 | 30 | Acceptable | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 07/15/2009 | <10 | Acceptable | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 06/19/2009 | 160 | Unacceptable | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 05/29/2009 | 17329 | Unacceptable | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 10/15/2008 | 20 | Acceptable | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 07/23/2008 | 5790 | Unacceptable | 74.2 | 25.7 | 4 | 6 | 72 |
| 05/16/2008 | 24196 | Unacceptable | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 09/06/2007 | <10 | Acceptable | 76.3 | 25.4 | 1.8 | 5 | 63 |
| 08/16/2007 | 35 | Possible Risk | 76 | 24.9 | 1.2 | 11 | 32 |
| 07/11/2007 | 238 | Unacceptable | 70.7 | 25 | 3.7 | 26 | 80 |
| 06/18/2007 | 6 | Acceptable | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 05/23/2007 | 10 | Acceptable | 65 | 19.3 | 0.6 | 5 | 82 |
| 04/18/2007 | 274 | Unacceptable | * | * | * | * | * |
Rainfall data comes from wunderground.com. It is added daily to show cumulative amounts.
Legend
- Enterococcus count (under 35/100ml) is acceptable by EPA standards*
- Enterococcus count (between 35 and 104/100ml), if sustained over time, would be unacceptable by EPA standards*
- Enterococcus count (over 104/100ml) is unacceptable by EPA standards*
What do the Numbers Mean?
We have based our assessment of acceptable water quality on the federal guidelines outlined in the 2000 Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act. Learn More