RIVERWAYS COLLABORATION — PHILADELPHIA & CAMDEN

Delaware River Basin E. coli Monitoring Network

Continuous TLF sensor-based E. coli estimation across 8 public recreation sites on the Schuylkill River, Delaware River, and Cooper River — validated against Colilert grab samples collected by Riverways member organizations since 2023.

8
Proposed sensor stations
126 cfu
PA & NJ geometric mean standard
235 cfu
Single sample maximum
Jun–Sep
Recreation season
2023–2024
Historic grab sample baseline
The Impairment Challenge
All three waterbodies in this network are listed as impaired for E. coli under the Clean Water Act. CSOs overflow 50–60 times per year in Philadelphia alone, and Riverways member programs are canceled 25–30% of the time due to E. coli exceedances. Weekly grab sampling misses storm-driven spikes and diurnal variability that determine whether any given recreation session is safe.
The Lume Sensor Approach
Virridy’s TLF sensors provide continuous 15-minute E. coli estimates validated against IDEXX Colilert grab samples. Deployed at existing Riverways monitoring locations, sensors would layer real-time risk intelligence on top of the 2023–2024 grab sample baseline — enabling same-day advisory decisions instead of week-old lab results.
What This Demo Shows
This page simulates what a Lume sensor network at all 8 Riverways sites would have shown during Summer 2025. Historic grab sample geomeans derived from Riverways 2023–2024 data anchor the synthetic continuous readings. The goal: show Riverways, American Rivers, and potential funders what continuous monitoring looks like before any sensors are deployed.
RECREATIONAL RISK LEVEL — DEMO CONDITIONS ACROSS NETWORK
PA/NJ standard: ≤126 cfu/100mL geometric mean, ≤235 cfu/100mL single sample • Demo based on 2023–2024 Riverways grab sample baselines
NETWORK MAP
Proposed Sensor Locations
8 Riverways Collaboration monitoring sites across the Schuylkill River, Delaware River, and Cooper River
MONITORING SITES
Site Status Overview
Synthetic current estimates anchored to 2024 Riverways grab sample geomeans
SENSOR VALIDATION
Sensor Validation Approach — What We’ll Collect
No sensors are deployed yet. This section shows the validation framework and projects performance based on Boulder Creek pilot data.
>0.85
Target R² (based on Boulder Creek pilot)
150+
Target paired samples (across 8 sites, one season)
>90%
Risk category accuracy target
Projected TLF vs. Colilert Correlation
Illustrative — based on actual 2023–2024 Riverways grab sample distribution
Actual validation data will be collected during sensor deployment season. Point distribution reflects real Riverways grab sample values; TLF estimates are synthetic projections.
Historic Grab Sample Geomeans by Site
2023 vs 2024 Riverways Collaboration data
2023–2024 Riverways Collaboration grab sample geometric means by site. These baselines anchor all synthetic sensor projections on this page.
ALERT FEED
Simulated Advisory Alerts
What the alert system would show during this demo scenario
PROJECT DETAILS
Deployment Concept
Team, budget, and timeline for a proposed sensor deployment

Project Team

  • Riverways Lead: Steff Kroll, Riverways Collaboration
  • Virridy: Evan Thomas + Field Team
  • Supporting: American Rivers (Lia Mastrapolo, Gary Belan), Riverways Member NGOs

Concept Budget

  • Sensor deployment (8 devices @ $2,400/yr) $19,200
  • Field sampling & Colilert validation $18,000
  • Dashboard development & data management $5,000

Deliverables

  • Real-time public recreational risk dashboard
  • Staff/NGO alert system
  • End-of-season validation report
  • Funder summary memo: sensor accuracy, CSO event response, risk category performance

Proposed Timeline

  • Jan–Mar 2026: Site assessment, permitting, sensor procurement
  • Apr 2026: Sensor deployment & calibration at 8 Riverways sites
  • May–Sep 2026: Recreation season monitoring (2–3 grabs/week/site for validation)
  • Oct–Dec 2026: Analysis, reporting, funder deliverables