Friends of the Shenandoah River

09/25/2026

⚠️ KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! The final set of E. coli Results for Summer 2026 Are Now Available 🧪💧

The E. coli test results for water samples collected yesterday varied significantly across monitoring locations.

Elevated bacteria levels were widespread: every single county monitored (Clarke, Warren, Page, and Shenandoah) had at least one site exceeding the EPA’s recommended safety threshold for primary body-contact recreation (235 CFU/100 mL), accounting for 5 out of the 12 locations tested.

📲 Read the full breakdown of the results on our website.

🙏 Thank you to our supporters:
Clarke County Board of Supervisors, Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative, CoBank, The Downstream Project, and everyone who supports our work!

💙 Please consider supporting FOSR's mission and vital work year-round

09/24/2026

Today, FOSR wrapped up the final round of water sample collection for our ⚠️ KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! 2026 Summer Weekly E. coli Testing Program! 🧪💧

Autumn definitely made its presence known overnight with crisp air 🍁 and much-needed rain across the watershed. 🌧️

Here are a few quick takeaways from today:
🌡️ Cooler Temperatures: Arriving at our first monitoring site, the air temperature was a brisk 47°F 🥶 , while the water temperature was a little warmer at 63.5°F.
🥶 Coldest Site: Hawksbill Creek logged the coldest water temperature of the day at 57.2°F.
💧 Water Levels Still Low: Despite the recent rain, water levels remain low, lots of catching up to do 🪣
🦟 A Happy Perk: A lot less bugs, there weren't any gnats or mosquitos biting at my ears 🦟
📈 Lab analysis is underway, and we will post the final E. coli data results tomorrow as soon as processing is complete. 🔍

Be sure to check back in tomorrow!

09/17/2026

⚠️KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! 09.162026 E. coli Testing Results Are Now Available

E. coli levels at two sites tested yesterday were above the recommended maximum threshold of 235 CFU/100mL for primary water recreation. https://fosr.org/testing-result/e-coli-testing-results-for-september-16-2026/

🎁 Donate Today: Help us finish the season strong by supporting our water-quality testing program! https://fosr.org/donate/

🙏 Thanks to the Clarke County Board of Supervisors, Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative, CoBank, The Downstream Project, and our supporters, we are able to continue to test 3 sites on the Main Stem, 2 on the South Fork, and the site on Hawksbill Creek.

09/11/2026

⚠️KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! This Week's E. coli Testing Results Are Now Available https://fosr.org/testing-result/e-coli-testing-results-for-september-10-2026/

🟢 Good news for the Main Stem, South Fork, and North Fork of the Shenandoah River: E. coli levels at all sites tested yesterday were below the recommended maximum threshold of 235 CFU/100mL for primary water recreation.

🔴 Not so good news for Hawksbill Creek: E. coli levels at the site tested in Hawksbill Creek exceeded recommended limits for the 15th week out of 16 weeks tested

📝These results provide a snapshot of the E. coli bacteria concentrations at the designated sites on the date, time, and under the conditions that the water samples were collected.

🎁 Donate Today: Help us finish the season strong by supporting our water-quality testing program! https://fosr.org/donate/

⚠️KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! This Week’s E. coli Testing Results Are Now Available 🟢 Good news for the Main Stem, South Fork, and North Fork of the Shenandoah River: E. coli levels at all sites tested yesterday were below the recommended maximum threshold of 235 CFU/100mL for primary water recreat...

09/10/2026

⚠️ KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! Water Testing Update 💧

🧪 Today, our FOSR lab staff rolled up their sleeves and collected 10 water samples from testing sites across the area!

🔬 Samples have been processed and are now incubating — next stop: results!

⏰ E. coli results will be read and posted tomorrow, so check back to know before you go swimming, wading, or playing in the River!

📍 Stay tuned right here for the latest updates. https://fosr.org/

🗓️ KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! Our Summer Weekly E. coli Testing Program is winding down, with only 3 weeks of testing left (including this week). Thanks to generous support from the Clarke County Board of Supervisors, Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative, CoBank, and The Downstream Project, we're able to continue testing at 1 site on Hawksbill Creek, 2 sites on the South Fork of the Shenandoah in Page County, and 3 sites on the Shenandoah River in Clarke County.

💛 Donate to help us finish out the season! https://fosr.org/donate/

09/03/2026

⚠️KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! This Week’s E. coli Testing Results Are Now Available https://fosr.org/testing-result/e-coli-testing-results-for-september-02-2026/

First and foremost: Thank you to those who donated to support this program. Your generosity keeps this program flowing, and we’re deeply grateful for every contribution. https://fosr.org/donate/

Unfortunately we did not receive enough donations to continue testing every site over the next few weeks. However, we made it a priority to get you the data you need to make informed decisions about the river activities you want to enjoy this holiday weekend — so this week, we tested all 14 sites. At the time and date tested, 2 sites exceeded the recommend E. coli level threshold of 235 CFU for primary recreational freshwater activities.

📍Main-stem Shenandoah River at Castleman’s Ferry, Route 7 bridge, public boat landing (Clarke County, VA) – E. coli Level: 1119.9 CFU/100 mL 📈

📍Hawksbill Creek at the Luray-Hawksbill Greenway Town of Luray Pocket Park 🌳 Page County VA – E. coli Level: 344.8 CFU/100 mL 📈

💡 Why this matters: Bacteria spikes can happen quickly and unpredictably, especially during hot summer weather or following localized rainfall. 🌦️ Regularly checking site-specific data allows you to make informed decisions before you and your loved ones dive in, splash around, float down the river in your tubes, or paddle down our beautiful rivers and streams.

💙 🙏 Thanks to the Clarke County Board of Supervisors, Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative, CoBank, The Downstream Project, and our supporters, we can still test 6 sites on the Main Stem and South Fork. Donate to help us test all 14. https://fosr.org/donate/

⚠️KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! This Week’s E. coli Testing Results Are Now Available First and foremost: Thank you to those who donated to support this program. Your generosity keeps this program flowing, and we’re deeply grateful for every contribution. Unfortunately we did not receive enough donati...

09/02/2026

Thinking about taking the family to the river this Labor Day weekend? 🌊 Concerned about potential exposure to E. coli bacteria? 🦠 OH YA, let's check out the Friends of the Shenandoah River's KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! 📋 Summer Weekly E. coli Testing Program latest E. coli results! https://fosr.org/

🔬 Our lab staff test the water weekly all summer long so YOU can make an informed choice about your recreational activity, whether that's paddling 🛶, casting a line 🎣, or just letting the kids splash around 💦👨‍👩‍👧‍👦.

💙 This program only happens because of community support. If you've ever used our results to plan a river day, consider donating today to help us keep testing all season long. Your gift keeps the data flowing all summer! https://fosr.org/donate/

08/27/2026

⚠️KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! This Week’s E. coli Testing Results Are Now Available https://fosr.org/testing-result/e-coli-testing-results-for-august-26-2026/

🟢 The trend continues. E. coli levels at the sites tested yesterday on the Main Stem and South Fork of the Shenandoah River did not exceed the recommended maximum threshold of 235 CFU/100mL of sample for primary water recreation.

🔴 The Warning: E. coli levels at the tested site in Hawksbill Creek exceeded recommended limits for the 13th week in a row (out of 14 weeks tested).

💙 🙏 We are only able to continue testing at 6 sites on the Main Stem and South Fork of the Shenandoah River thanks to generous support from the Clarke County Board of Supervisors, Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative, CoBank, The Downstream Project, and all of you who have supported our KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! Summer Weekly E. coli Testing Program.

🌡️ 🕶 Holiday Weather Ahead: Temperatures are projected to climb back into the 90s next week, leading right into the busy Labor Day holiday weekend.

We need your support to keep monitoring all 15 of our sites through these crucial final weeks of summer. FOSR needs to raise $5,000 in donor support. Your contributions directly cover lab supplies, sampling equipment, travel, water sample processing, and data reporting costs so you KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! https://fosr.org/donate/

🎁 Donate Today: Help us finish the season strong by supporting our water-quality testing program! https://fosr.org/donate/

⚠️KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! This Week’s E. coli Testing Results Are Now Available 🟢 The trend continues. E. coli levels at the sites tested yesterday on the Main Stem and South Fork of the Shenandoah River did not exceed the recommended maximum threshold of 235 CFU/100mL of sample for primary wat...

08/27/2026

⚠️ KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! | August 26, 2026
🌅 Dare I say it was a crisp 59°F when I headed down the road this morning to collect water samples for FOSR’s Know Before You Go! Summer Weekly E. coli Testing Program?

While these cooler morning temperatures are a welcome treat, don't put away the sunblock 🌞 just yet, Mother Nature still has some heat up her sleeve! 🕶Temperatures are projected to climb back into the 90s 🌡 next week, leading right into the busy Labor Day holiday weekend.

We Need Your Support to Keep Testing To keep monitoring all 15 of our river sites through these crucial final weeks of summer, FOSR needs to raise $5,000 in donor support. Your contributions directly cover lab supplies, sampling equipment, travel, water sample processing, and data reporting costs that keep our community informed on the water.

🧫 Check the Data: Tomorrow’s fresh batch of E. coli results will be published on Thursday, August 27, 2026.
🎁 Donate Today: Help us finish the season strong by backing our testing team at https://fosr.org/donate/
🏞️ Plan Your Trip: Before you head out for a swim, paddle, or tube ride, visit https://fosr.org/ to check your local spot's numbers.

08/20/2026

⚠️KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! This Week's E. coli Testing Results Are Now Available https://fosr.org/testing-result/e-coli-testing-results-for-august-19-2026/

🟢 Once again, good news for river lovers. The E. coli levels at all the River sites tested yesterday did not exceeded the recommended maximum threshold of 235 CFUs/100mL of sample for primary water recreation.

🔴 The Warning: Hawksbill Creek exceeded recommended limits for the 12th week in a row (out of 13 tested).

💳 Funding Update & Select Site Pauses

🙏 A huge THANK YOU to everyone who generously donated to keep the Friends of the Shenandoah River (FOSR) testing program alive! Your support directly keeps our community protected and informed.

⚠️ Where We Stand: Despite recent generous donations, budget constraints have forced us to pause testing at select sites once again. To help us bring back testing at all locations, please consider supporting the program today! https://fosr.org/donate/

⚠️KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! This Week’s E. coli Testing Results Are Now Available 🟢 Once again, good news for river lovers. The E. coli levels at all the River sites tested yesterday did not exceeded the recommended maximum threshold of 235 CFUs/100mL of sample for primary water recreation. 🔴 ...