Non-volatile suspended solids averaged 18.0 ppm with a high of 52.0 ppm in 1990 and a low of 4.6 ppm in 1991. For information on nutrient and sediment regulations, see Appendix B, Nutrient and Sediment Regulations . Pathogens Cryptosporidium and Giardia are two pathogenic microorganisms that are found in the intestines of livestock and wild animals. Both cause intestinal disorders in humans and both are resistant to conventional water treatment methods. Although Cryptosporidium outbreaks in the U.S. have been relatively rare until the last decade, several outbreaks have occurred since 1983 that have caused a number of deaths.
Giardia outbreaks are more common but much less likely to cause death.
Most outbreaks of these pathogens have been linked to runoff from feedlots, manure piles, and fields where liquid waste was land-applied. The presence of livestock in the Higginsville City Lake Watershed makes pathogens a valid concern. Efforts to exclude livestock from watercourses and reduce movement of animal wastes in runoff will reduce the presence of these pathogenic organisms reducing the risk of an infectious outbreak. THM's have been linked to rectal, bladder, and pancreatic cancers in humans. THM's form as chlorine reacts with organic matter in the water being treated.