Root River Monitoring Sites Fact Sheets

8/2/2019 Root River Monitoring Sites Fact Sheets

1/20

BASELINEASSESSMENTOFWATERQUALITYIN

SUPPORTOFTHEROOTRIVERWATERSHED

RESTORATIONPLAN

SiteSelectionandPreliminaryFindings

August2011


2/20

2011RacineHealthDepartmentRootRiverMonitoringSites

Site#1ChartroomCharlies

Site#2RootRiverEnvironmentalEducationCommunityCenter(REC)

Site#3LibertyStreetBridge

Site#4DepartmentofNaturalResourcesRootRiverSteelheadFacility

Site#5HorlickDam

Site#6Highway31and4MileRoad

Site#7JohnsonPark

Site#8HoodsCreek

Site#95MileRoadandRootRiverParkway

Site#10HusherCreek

Site#11

Highway

38

at

Milwaukee

County

Line

Site#12LegendCreek

Site#13RootRiverCanal Main

Site#14RaymondCreek

Site#15RootRiverCanal WestBranch(N)

Site#16RootRiverCanal EastBranch(N)

Site#17RootRiverCanal WestBranch(S):UnionGroveWWTP

Site#18RootRiverCanal EastBranch(S):Fonk'sTrailerPark


3/20

Site#1ChartroomCharlies

SamplinglocationistheredX

RationaleforSiteSelection:CityofRacinehistoricsamplingsiteandlastaccessiblesamplingpointpriortotherivermouth.

WaterqualitycanbeaffectedbyLakeMichiganinflow. Situatedinachannelizedenvironment

andhashighlycommercialsurroundinglanduse.

PreliminaryResults:

MeanResults(9Events)August2011

E.coli(MPN/100mL) DO(mg/L) DO(%sat.) pH(114) Conductivity(S/cm) Turbidity(NTU)

100 5.3 63% 7.8 537 3.2

Intheir1986waterqualityguidelines,theUSEPAsuggestsanE.colimaximumvalueof576MPN/100mlforinfrequentlyusedfullbodycontactwaters. Asanincidentalcontactwater,the

RootRiver,atSite#1iscurrentlyincompliance. Withanaveragedissolvedoxygen(DO)levelof

5.3mg/LtheRootRiveratSite#1isconsideredgood(4.010.0mg/L).AnexcellentDOreading

isone>10mg/L. UnitedStates(US)naturalwaterfallsbetween6.5and8.5onthepHscale(0

14)with7.0beingneutral(NOAA).TheoptimumpHforriverwaterisaround7.4,similartothe

valuesseenatSite1.TheconductivityofriversintheUSgenerallyrangesfrom50to1500

mhos/cm.Studiesofinlandfreshwatersindicatethatstreamssupportinggoodmixed

fisherieshavearangebetween150and500hos/cm(USEPA).Conductivityoutsidethisrange

couldindicatethatthewaterisnotsuitableforcertainspeciesoffishormacroinvertebrates.

TheaverageconductivityforSite#1isjustoutsidetheoptimumrangeforgoodmixedfisheries.

Coldwaterfisheryandcool/warmwaterfisherywatershavearecommendedmeanturbidity

concentrationof10NTUand25NTUrespectively.MeanturbidityatSite#1isverygood,

meetingbothcriteria,althougheventbasedincreasesareobserved.


4/20

Site#2RootRiverEnvironmentalEducationCommunityCenter(REC)

Samplinglocation

is

off

canoe

launch

RationaleforSiteSelection:CityofRacinehistoricsamplingsitelocatedattheRECEnvironmentalEducationCenter;used

forrecreationalpurposes(fishing,canoeing,andkayaking). Sitsjustupstreamofchannelized

downtownarea;hasindustrial,commercial,andresidentialsurroundinglanduse.

PreliminaryResults:


E.coli(MPN/100mL) DO(mg/L) DO(%sat.) pH(114) Conductivity(S/cm) Turbidity(NTU)227 8.4 101% 8.4 940 6.8


RootRiver,atSite#2iscurrentlyincompliance. Withanaveragedissolvedoxygen(DO)levelof

8.4mg/LtheRootRiveratSite#2isconsideredgood(4.010.0mg/L).AnexcellentDOreading

isone>10mg/L. UnitedStates(US)naturalwaterfallsbetween6.5and8.5onthepHscale(0

14)with7.0beingneutral(NOAA).TheoptimumpHforriverwaterisaround7.4.The

conductivityofriversintheUSgenerallyrangesfrom50to1500mhos/cm.Studiesofinland

freshwaters

indicate

that

streams

supporting

good

mixed

fisheries

have

arange

between

150

and500hos/cm(USEPA).ConductivityoutsidethisrangesuchasthevalueseenatSite#2


MeanconductivityforSite#2isnearlytwicetheoptimumrangeforgoodmixedfisheries.





5/20

Site#3LibertyStreetBridge

Lookingdownstreamfromsamplinglocationonbridge

RationaleforSiteSelection:ThisisaCityofRacinehistoricsamplingsitewhichrepresentsthetransitionpointfrom

low/moderatetomoderate/highresidentiallanduse. Activefishingoccursjustupstreamof

thissite.IslandParksampleshavetraditionallyhadhigherE.colicountsthanallotherCityofRacineopenwatersites. MultiplestormwateroutfallsdischargetotheRootRiveratthissite.

PreliminaryResults:



610 7.3 85% 8.1 921 6.5


RootRiver,atSite#3isjustoutsideofcompliance. Withanaveragedissolvedoxygen(DO)level

of7.3mg/LtheRootRiveratSite#3isconsideredgood(4.010.0mg/L).AnexcellentDO

readingisone>10mg/L. UnitedStates(US)naturalwaterfallsbetween6.5and8.5onthepH

scale(014)with7.0beingneutral(NOAA).TheoptimumpHforriverwaterisaround7.4. The

conductivity

of

rivers

in

the

US

generally

ranges

from

50

to

1500

mhos/cm.

Studies

of

inland

freshwatersindicatethatstreamssupportinggoodmixedfisherieshavearangebetween150



TheaverageconductivityforSite#3isnearlytwicetheoptimumrangeforgoodmixedfisheries.





6/20

Site#4DepartmentofNaturalResourcesRootRiverSteelheadFacility

Lookingupstream;samplinglocationistheredX SteelheadFacilityatLincolnPark

RationaleforSiteSelection:Site#4isaCityofRacinehistoricsamplingsite. Landuseisprimarilyparkspacebutresidential

areasexistupstreamandtothesouthofSpringStreet. Thissitewaschosenduetothe

potentialutilityofthedatatotheDNRfisheriesdivision.

PreliminaryResults:


E.coli(MPN/100

mL) DO(mg/L)

DO

(%

sat.)

pH

(1

14)

Conductivity

(S/cm)

Turbidity

(NTU)

287 7.9 91% 8.2 921 8.5


RootRiver,atSite#4iswithincompliance. Withanaveragedissolvedoxygen(DO)levelof7.9

mg/LtheRootRiveratSite#4isconsideredgood(4.010.0mg/L).AnexcellentDOreadingis

one>10mg/L. UnitedStates(US)naturalwaterfallsbetween6.5and8.5onthepHscale(0

14)with7.0beingneutral(NOAA).TheoptimumpHforriverwaterisaround7.4. The



and500

hos/cm

(US

EPA).

Conductivity

outside

this

range

such

as

the

value

seen

at

Site

#4


TheaverageconductivityforSite#4isnearlytwicetheoptimumrangeforgoodmixedfisheries.





7/20

Site#5HorlickDam

Lookingupstreamatdamfromsamplinglocation HistoricPictureofRootRiveratHorlickDamLocation

RationaleforSiteSelection:Thissiteisthefurthestupstreamsamplingpointpriortothedamseparationandthefirstsite

withintheCityofRacine. Surroundinglanduseiscommercialandlowmoderatedensity

residential. Muchhistoricdataexistsforthissite.

PreliminaryResults:



13,193 7.7 94% 8.3 893 16.8


RootRiver,atSite#5iswelloutsidecompliance,butthisisduetooneoutlierresultof129,965on

8/16. Excludingthissamplingevent,E.colimeanresultswouldhavebeen218MPN/100mL. Withanaveragedissolvedoxygen(DO)levelof7.7mg/LtheRootRiveratSite#5isconsideredgood(4.0

10.0mg/L).AnexcellentDOreadingisone>10mg/L. UnitedStates(US)naturalwaterfalls

between6.5

and

8.5

on

the

pH

scale

(0

14)

with

7.0

being

neutral

(NOAA).

The

conductivity

of

riversintheUSgenerallyrangesfrom50to1500mhos/cm.Studiesofinlandfreshwatersindicate

thatstreamssupportinggoodmixedfisherieshavearangebetween150and500hos/cm(US

EPA). ConductivityoutsidethisrangesuchasthevalueseenatSite#5couldindicatethatthewater

isnotsuitableforcertainspeciesoffishormacroinvertebrates. TheaverageconductivityforSite

#5isclosetotwicetheoptimumrangeforgoodmixedfisheries.Coldwaterfisheryandcool/warm

waterfisherywatershavearecommendedmeanturbidityconcentrationof10NTUand25NTU

respectively. CurrentmeanturbidityatSite#5issupportiveofcool/warmwaterfisheries.


8/20

Site#6Highway31and4MileRoad

Samplinglocation

is

on

downstream

side

of

bridge,

in

middle

of

river

RationaleforSiteSelection:Sire#6islocatedonthemainstemoftheRootRiver. AUSGSgaugingstationsitsjust

downstreamandwillallowforcorrelationofmeasuredparameterstoflowrate.

PreliminaryResults:


E.coli

(MPN/100mL) DO(mg/L) DO(%sat.) pH(114) Conductivity(S/cm) Turbidity(NTU)

344 5.9 67% 8.0 906 7.3







freshwaters

indicate

that

streams

supporting

good

mixed

fisheries

have

arange

between

150



TheaverageconductivityforSite#6isclosetotwicetheoptimumrangeforgoodmixed

fisheries.Coldwaterfisheryandcool/warmwaterfisherywatershavearecommendedmean

turbidityconcentrationof10NTUand25NTUrespectively.MeanturbidityatSite#6isvery

good,meetingbothcriteria,althougheventbasedincreasesareobserved.


9/20

Site#7JohnsonPark

Fromsampling

location

looking

upstream

Side

view

of

sampling

location

RationaleforSiteSelection:Site#7isthehistoricCityofRacineupstreamsamplingsiteutilizedtoprovidekeyinformation

onthetypeandquantityofpollutantscontributedfromupstreamreachesoftheriver.

PreliminaryResults:



449 10.5 123% 8.3 901 7.7



mg/LtheRootRiveratSite#7isconsideredexcellent(>10.0mg/L).UnitedStates(US)natural

waterfallsbetween6.5and8.5onthepHscale(014)with7.0beingneutral(NOAA).The

optimumpHforriverwaterisaround7.4. TheconductivityofriversintheUSgenerallyranges

from

50

to

1500

mhos/cm.

Studies

of

inland

fresh

waters

indicate

that

streams

supporting

goodmixedfisherieshavearangebetween150and500hos/cm(USEPA).Conductivity

outsidethisrangesuchasthevalueseenatSite#7couldindicatethatthewaterisnotsuitable

forcertainspeciesoffishormacroinvertebrates. TheaverageconductivityforSite#7isclose

totwicetheoptimumrangeforgoodmixedfisheries.Coldwaterfisheryandcool/warmwater

fisherywatershavearecommendedmeanturbidityconcentrationof10NTUand25NTU

respectively.MeanturbidityatSite#7isverygood,meetingbothcriteria,althoughevent

basedincreasesareobserved.


10/20

Site#8HoodsCreek

Fromsamplinglocationlookingdownstream

RationaleforSiteSelection:Site#8islocatedattheBrookRoadcrossing;immediatelyupstreamfromtheconfluencewith

theRootRiver. Thissitewillprovideinformationonthecomposition/loadofpollutantscoming

intotheriverfromthecreek. Limitedhistoricwaterqualityexists;somefishbioticindexing,

macroinvertebrate,andstreamhabitatconditiondataexists.

PreliminaryResults:


E.coli(MPN/100mL) DO(mg/L) DO(%sat.) pH(114) Conductivity(S/cm) Turbidity(NTU)752 6.5 72% 7.9 1,185 17.9


RootRiver,atSite#8isoutsideofcompliance. Withanaveragedissolvedoxygen(DO)levelof

6.5mg/LtheRootRiveratSite#8isconsideredgood(4.010.0mg/L). AnexcellentDO




freshwaters

indicate

that

streams

supporting

good

mixed

fisheries

have

arange

between

150

and500hos/cm(USEPA). ConductivityoutsidethisrangesuchasthevalueseenatSite#8


TheaverageconductivityforSite#8ismorethantwicetheoptimumrangeforgoodmixed


turbidityconcentrationof10NTUand25NTUrespectively.CurrentmeanturbidityatSite#8is

supportiveofcool/warmwaterfisheries.


11/20

Site#95MileRoadandRootRiverParkway

Samplinglocationiswhereropeisextended

RationaleforSiteSelection:Site#9islocatedontheMainStemoftheRootRiver. Thissitewillprovidekeyinformationon

thetypeandquantityofpollutantscontributedfromupstreamreachesoftheriver.

PreliminaryResults:



469 7.0 81% 8.1 889 12.7






conductivityof

rivers

in

the

US

generally

ranges

from

50

to

1500

mhos/cm.

Studies

of

inland




TheaverageconductivityforSite#9isclosetotwicetheoptimumrangeforgoodmixed


turbidityconcentrationof10NTUand25NTUrespectively.CurrentmeanturbidityatSite#9is



12/20

Site#10HusherCreek

Sideviewofsamplinglocation Lookingupstreamfromsamplinglocation

Rationalefor

Site

Selection:

HusherCreekisatributaryoftheRootRiver. Thissitewillprovideinsightintocreek

contributionstotheRootRiver. Limitedhistoricwaterqualitydataindicateselevatedfecal

indicatorbacterialevels. Limitedfishandmacroinvertebratebioticindexingandhabitat

conditionassessmentdataexistsforSite#10.

PreliminaryResults:


E.coli(MPN/100

mL)

DO

(mg/L)

DO

(%sat.)

pH

(114)

Conductivity

(S/cm)

Turbidity

(NTU)

762 6.1 67% 8.0 765 32.0


RootRiver,atSite#10isoutsidecompliance. Withanaveragedissolvedoxygen(DO)levelof

6.1mg/LtheRootRiveratSite#10isconsideredgood(4.010.0mg/L).AnexcellentDO




freshwaters

indicate

that

streams

supporting

good

mixed

fisheries

have

arange

between

150




concentrationof10NTUand25NTUrespectively.MeanturbidityatSite#10isoutsidethe

recommendedconcentrationsforeithercoldorcool/warmwaterfisherywaters.


13/20

Site#11Highway38atMilwaukeeCountyLine

Sideviewofsamplinglocation Lookingdownstreamfromsamplinglocation

RationaleforSiteSelection:Site#11islocatedontheMainStemoftheRootRiverjustdownstreamoftheconfluenceof

HusherCreekandtheRootRiver. Datacollectedfromthislocationmayallowinferencestobe

madeastothetypeandquantityofpollutantscontributedbythecreektotheriverproper.

PreliminaryResults:


E.coli(MPN/100mL) DO(mg/L) DO(%sat.) pH(114) Conductivity(S/cm) Turbidity(NTU)533 6.6 76% 8.0 924 15.9


RootRiver,atSite#11isjustwithincompliance. Withanaveragedissolvedoxygen(DO)level

of6.6mg/LtheRootRiveratSite#11isconsideredgood(4.010.0mg/L).AnexcellentDO




freshwaters

indicate

that

streams

supporting

good

mixed

fisheries

have

arange

between

150




concentrationof10NTUand25NTUrespectively.CurrentmeanturbidityatSite#11is



14/20

Site#12LegendCreek

Samplinglocation

is

in

the

middle

of

the

creek

RationaleforSiteSelection:LegendCreekisatributarytotheRootRiverlocatedinMilwaukeeCounty. Datacollectedat

thissitewillaugmentdatabeingcollectedbytheMilwaukeeMetropolitanSewerageDistrict

(MMSD).

PreliminaryResults:



766 6.2 66% 7.9 1,003 16.3


RootRiver,atSite#12isoutsideofcompliance. Withanaveragedissolvedoxygen(DO)levelof

6.2mg/LtheRootRiveratSite#12isconsideredgood(4.010.0mg/L).AnexcellentDO



conductivityof

rivers

in

the

US

generally

ranges

from

50

to

1500

mhos/cm.

Studies

of

inland








15/20

Site#13RootRiverCanal Main

Viewupstream

from

sampling

location

USGS

gauging

station

on

downstream

side

of

bridge

RationaleforSiteSelection:Site#13islocatedapproximately1.5milesdownstreamoftheconfluenceoftheeastandwest

branchesoftheRootRiver. ThislocationisalsothesiteofUSGSgaugingstation,whichallows

examinationofwaterqualityrelativetoflow. Agoodhistoricalwaterqualitydatasetexists.

PreliminaryResults:



216 20.5 240% 9.0 1,249 30.7


RootRiver,atSite#13iswellwithincompliance. Withanaveragedissolvedoxygen(DO)level

of20.5mg/LtheRootRiveratSite#13isconsideredexcellent(>10.0mg/L). UnitedStates(US)

naturalwaterfallsbetween6.5and8.5onthepHscale(014)with7.0beingneutral(NOAA).

TheoptimumpHforriverwaterisaround7.4;Site#13isfarfromthisvalue. Theconductivity

ofrivers

in

the

US

generally

ranges

from

50

to

1500

mhos/cm.

Studies

of

inland

fresh

waters

indicatethatstreamssupportinggoodmixedfisherieshavearangebetween150and500

hos/cm(USEPA). ConductivityoutsidethisrangesuchasthevalueseenatSite#13could

indicatethatthewaterisnotsuitableforcertainspeciesoffishormacroinvertebrates.


concentrationof10NTUand25NTUrespectively.MeanturbidityatSite#13isoutsidethe

recommendedrange.


16/20


17/20

Site#15RootRiverCanal WestBranch(N)

Fromsamplingpointonbridgelookingupstream Fromsamplingpointunderbridgelookingdownstream

RationaleforSiteSelection:Site#15isasitethatsitsjustupstreamfromtheconfluenceoftheeastandwestbranchesof

theRootRiverCanal. Monitoringatthislocationwillprovideinsightonpollutantloadingfrom

thewestbranchtotheRootRiverCanal,whichisimpairedfortotalsuspendedsolidsand

phosphorus.

PreliminaryResults:



256 17.0 199% 8.7 1,580 16.4


RootRiver,atSite#15iswithincompliance. Withanaveragedissolvedoxygen(DO)levelof

17.0mg/LtheRootRiveratSite#15isconsideredexcellent(>10.0mg/L).UnitedStates(US)

naturalwaterfallsbetween6.5and8.5onthepHscale(014)with7.0beingneutral(NOAA).

TheoptimumpHforriverwaterisaround7.4. TheconductivityofriversintheUSgenerally

rangesfrom

50

to

1500

mhos/cm.

Studies

of

inland

fresh

waters

indicate

that

streams

supportinggoodmixedfisherieshavearangebetween150and500hos/cm(USEPA).

ConductivityoutsidethisrangesuchasthevalueseenatSite#15couldindicatethatthewater

isnotsuitableforcertainspeciesoffishormacroinvertebrates. Coldwaterfisheryand

cool/warmwaterfisherywatershavearecommendedmeanturbidityconcentrationof10NTU

and25NTUrespectively.CurrentmeanturbidityatSite#15issupportiveofcool/warmwater

fisheries.


18/20

Site#16RootRiverCanal EastBranch(N)

Viewofsamplinglocationondownstreamsideofbridge Viewdownstreamfrombridge

RationaleforSiteSelection:Site#16sitsjustupstreamfromtheconfluenceoftheeastandwestbranchesoftheRootRiver

Canal. Monitoringatthissitewillprovideinsightonpollutantloadingfromtheeastbranchto

theRootRiverCanal,whichisimpairedfortotalsuspendedsolidsandphosphorus.

PreliminaryResults:



168 5.3 62% 8.2 859 15.4


RootRiver,atSite#16fallswellwithincompliance. Withanaveragedissolvedoxygen(DO)

levelof5.3mg/LtheRootRiveratSite#16isconsideredgood(4.010.0mg/L).Anexcellent

DOreadingisone>10mg/L. UnitedStates(US)naturalwaterfallsbetween6.5and8.5onthe

pHscale(014)with7.0beingneutral(NOAA).TheoptimumpHforriverwaterisaround7.4.

The

conductivity

of

rivers

in

the

US

generally

ranges

from

50

to

1500

mhos/cm.

Studies

of

inlandfreshwatersindicatethatstreamssupportinggoodmixedfisherieshavearange

between150and500hos/cm(USEPA). Conductivityoutsidethisrangesuchasthevalue

seenatSite#16couldindicatethatthewaterisnotsuitableforcertainspeciesoffishormacro

invertebrates. Coldwaterfisheryandcool/warmwaterfisherywatershavearecommended

meanturbidityconcentrationof10NTUand25NTUrespectively.CurrentmeanturbidityatSite

#16issupportiveofcool/warmwaterfisheries.


19/20

Site#17RootRiverCanal WestBranch(S):UnionGroveWWTP

Viewdownstreamfromsamplinglocation Viewofsamplinglocation(largepipe)

RationaleforSiteSelection:ThismonitoringstationislocatedatthesouthernendofthewestbranchoftheRootRiver

Canal. Datacollectedherewillprovideinsightintohumansourcecontributionsasthisbranch

ofthecanalsitsupstream,justtothenorth,oftheUnionGroveWastewaterTreatmentPlant.

PreliminaryResults:


E.coli(MPN/100

mL)

DO

(mg/L)

DO

(%sat.)

pH

(114)

Conductivity

(S/cm)

Turbidity

(NTU)

2,804 7.7 85% 7.8 2,254 2.7


RootRiver,atSite#17fallswelloutsideofcompliance. Thismaybeattributedtocontributions

fromthewastewatertreatmentplant. Withanaveragedissolvedoxygen(DO)levelof7.7mg/L

theRootRiveratSite#17isconsideredgood(4.010.0mg/L).AnexcellentDOreadingisone

>10mg/L. UnitedStates(US)naturalwaterfallsbetween6.5and8.5onthepHscale(014)

with7.0beingneutral(NOAA).TheoptimumpHforriverwaterisaround7.4. Theconductivity

ofriversintheUSgenerallyrangesfrom50to1500mhos/cm.Studiesofinlandfreshwaters

indicatethatstreamssupportinggoodmixedfisherieshavearangebetween150and500hos/cm(USEPA). ConductivitylevelswelloutsidethisrangesuchasthevalueseenatSite#17

couldindicatethatthewaterisnotsuitableforcertainspeciesoffishormacroinvertebrates

andindicatesignificantcontributionsofsedimentsorchemicals. Coldwaterfisheryand

cool/warmwaterfisherywatershavearecommendedmeanturbidityconcentrationof10NTU

and25NTUrespectively.MeanturbidityatSite#17isverygood,meetingbothcriteria,

althougheventbasedincreasesareobserved.


20/20

Site#18RootRiverCanal EastBranch(S):Fonk'sTrailerPark

Viewofsamplinglocation(downstreamofbridge) Fonk'sTrailerParkWastewaterTreatmentsitsjustupstream

RationaleforSiteSelection:Site318isatthesouthernendoftheeastbranchoftheRootRiverCanal. Thislocationwill

provideinsightintowhetherhumansourcesarecontributingtopoorwaterqualityinthis

branchofthecanal. ThetrailerparkWWTPliesjustupstreamofthesamplingpoint.

PreliminaryResults:


E.coli(MPN/100

mL)

DO

(mg/L)

DO

(%sat.)

pH

(114)

Conductivity

(S/cm)

Turbidity

(NTU)

1,565 4.9 51% 7.3 1,316 11.6


RootRiver,atSite#18fallswelloutsideofcompliance. Thismaybeattributedtocontributions

fromthewastewatertreatmentplant.Withanaveragedissolvedoxygen(DO)levelof4.9mg/L

theRootRiveratSite#18isjustwithinacceptablelimits(4.010.0mg/L).AnexcellentDO



conductivity

of

rivers

in

the

US

generally

ranges

from

50

to

1500

mhos/cm.

Studies

of

inland


and500hos/cm(USEPA). Conductivitylevelswelloutsidethisrangesuchasthevalueseenat

Site#18couldindicatethatthewaterisnotsuitableforcertainspeciesoffishormacro

invertebratesandindicatesignificantcontributionsofsedimentsorchemicals. Coldwater

fisheryandcool/warmwaterfisherywatershavearecommendedmeanturbidity



Root River Monitoring Sites Fact Sheets

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