A no-swim advisory has been placed on Big Chico Creek, by the Butte County Public Health Department, due to the presence of a dangerous strain of E. coli.
BCPH public information officer Lisa Almaguer said the water tested positive for E. coli O157, which she explained causes severe intestinal infection in humans and can lead to kidney failure.
The primary symptoms of an E. coli infection are diarrhea, stomach cramps and fever, according to BCPH.
The contaminated water and sediment samples from along the creek included popular swim spots such as Alligator Hole and Sycamore Pool, Almaguer said.
Samples were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta on July 24 after children were hospitalized after swimming in Sycamore Pool and Five Mile Recreation Area. The results came back on August 11.
“We met up with the CDC to discuss the results,” Almaguer said. “They confirmed that the very dangerous type of E. coli was present in multiple locations in the creek.”
She urged students not to get in the water and to follow all no-swim advisories that are posted throughout the park.
Almaguer also said BCPH asked the university to notify students about the no-swim advisory, which has been in effect since June.
Big Chico Creek is a 46-mile-long creek that starts near Colby Mountain in the Lassen National Forest. It cuts through the Chico State campus and eventually flows into the Sacramento River. Chico State noted that the section of the river that passes through campus is included in the advisory.
“We wanted to pass that information along to students and make sure they were aware of what the BCPH is saying,” said Public Relations Director Andrew Staples. “Any student who feels ill is welcome to go to Wildcat Health Care Center.”
Staples also recommended that students “keep up with the news” on this topic and urged everyone to follow the advisories.
Both Chico State and Butte County Public Health recommend students go to the swimming pool at the Wildcat Recreational Center to escape the heat.
Nathan Espindula can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].
