State water quality researchers collected samples last summer at six sites near Wrangell Island, covering from the north end of the island to near Wrangell Harbor.
Water quality samples taken in front of Wrangell Island last summer passed the test.
The samples collected at six sites were tested by state researchers for fecal coliform and other bacteria, ammonia and various metals. All tested within safe water quality standards-but the same cannot be said for all Southeast communities.
Two water samples taken near Petersburg, in the Wrangell Narrows, exceeded the standard for fecal coliform. The state Department of Environmental Conservation will return to Petersburg this spring for another round of tests, the Petersburg Pilot newspaper reported two weeks ago.
Last summer, the department conducted water quality assessments of major ports and shipping lanes across the state, including Wrangell. At each site, crews tested for fecal coliform and enterococci bacteria, both of which can cause intestinal distress and flu-like symptoms.
The tests also measured average water temperatures, salinity, acidity and dissolved oxygen levels.
"Fecal coliform bacteria were generally absent from samples collected in Southeast open water shipping lanes (90% of the sites) but were present in most Southeast ports," said the report, published in December. Concentrations exceeded criteria "at one or more of the sites near Juneau, Hoonah, Petersburg, Ward Cove, and Ketchikan, but not in Haines, Skagway, Auke Bay, Sitka, or Wrangell," the report said.
Fecal coliform bacteria is spread in animal and human waste.
The 2020 assessment was conducted to evaluate water quality during a period of decreased cruise ship traffic due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Samples were taken July 9-27 at six sites near Wrangell, ranging from the north end of the island by the airport runway to the entrance of Heritage Harbor.
Fecal coliform concentrations and enterococci bacteria were below the water quality criteria at each of the six Wrangell sites, though the results for enterococci were close at the sample site near the mouth of Heritage Harbor. A sample from that site came in at 13 "colony-forming units" of bacteria versus the standard of 14 units per 100 milliliters.
Ammonia levels were below the detection limit at all sampling sites near Wrangell.
Concentrations of copper, nickel and zinc were higher in Wrangell waters than all other Southeast ports sampled, but were still below the water quality standards. "Metals concentrations were highest at WR01 [near the airport runway], which, based on apparent turbidity, was more influenced by the Stikine River," the report said.
The assessment also found that Wrangell is characterized by less saline surface waters, due to fresh water flowing in from the nearby Stikine.
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