Castle Lake Limnological Research Station

The Castle Lake Limnology Lab has started a new study on bacteria, which is part of a California wide study focusing on the linkage between pathological agents and increased human activity in high elevation lakes. Since Castle Lake is experiencing increased human use this study would enable a comparison with similar lakes and the impact of humans and animals at Castle Lake.

Bacteria sampling began at Castle Lake at five different sites, with the goal of capturing various habitat and human activity. Samples are put in vacuum test tubes and taken to an incubator (held at 35 degrees C). Incubation allows strains of potentially harmful bacteria to be counted, if present, including Escherichia coli and Salmonella. They are in the family Enterobacteriaceae that spends a majority of their lives as residents of animal hosts.

So far, the search has not found anything abnormal.

This project is made possible by Dr. Robert W. Derlet of the UCDavis Medical Center.