Urban Waters Partnership

Proctor Creek Water Monitoring Activity

U.S. EPA Region 4 Proctor Creek Water Monitoring Activities

On this page:This map outlines the watershed and identifies the sampling locations, CSO facilities and the proctor creek basin

Study Objectives and Design

The Environmental Protection Agency, in cooperation with other Agencies and groups monitoring the watershed, has begun a water quality study in the Proctor Creek Watershed in Atlanta, GA. The main objectives of the study are to:

  • Document current baseline conditions of the water quality, 
  • Identify any areas or pollutants of concern, and
  • Work cooperatively with other groups to share data and information regarding the condition of the streams in the watershed. 

EPA is currently sampling water and sediments at 15 locations in the Proctor Creek Watershed. EPA is analyzing samples for a variety of constituents including:

  • Fecal bacteria,
  • Nutrients,
  • Classical paramaters including dissolved oxygen, pH, alkalinity, turbidity, and conductivity,
  • Metals, and
  • Organic constituents such as pesticides and chemicals used by commercial businesses and private homeowners.

Sampling is conducted on a quarterly basis and is currently funded for at least a two year period. The United States Geological Survey is providing continuously operating flow gages at three locations in the watershed in cooperation with the EPA and the City of Atlanta.

Current Status and Reports

Only four sampling events have occurred to date. Results of the sampling events conducted in September 2015, January 2016, and April 2016 are currently available at the link below. Reporting on the results from the fourth sampling event, conducted in July 2016, is awaiting completion of laboratory analyses. Fish samples were also collected in April 2016 for tissue analyses that are currently underway. 

Find the current EPA reports here.

  • Water quality sampling will continue in the watershed on a quarterly basis for the remainder of 2016 and 2017;
  • The next EPA sampling event is scheduled for October 2016;
  • EPA will complete the fish tissue sample analyses and prepare a report on the results;
  • EPA wil complete the laboratory analyses from the fourth sampling event in July 2016 and prepare a report on the results;
  • Storm event sampling will be conducted during 2016 and 2017 at two to three locations;
  • EPA will continue to post the results of sampling activities as they become available;
  • EPA will summarize the data at the conclusion of the long-term study.

Project Contact

Cynthia Edwards
U.S. EPA Region 4 Water Protection Division
Email: Edwards.CynthiaY@epa.gov
Phone: 404-562-9340