Microbial communities and bacterial indicators for shoreline sand, sediment, and water in Racine, Wisconsin; Chicago, Illinois; and East Chicago, Indiana; 2016-2017

The data associated with the following data release were collected between 2016 and 2017 at three locations on Lake Michigan: Racine, WI; Chicago, IL; and East Chicago, IN. Individual water samples were collected one day a week for ten weeks between June and August. Samples were collected from eight specific sites made up of two river and six shoreline type environments. Sampling was completed at sites where various morphology (embayment, sand and sediment characteristics, size and shape) and hydrologic conditions (currents and waves) were present. Then samples were analyzed using microbial communities (metagenomic analysis), markers of contamination (microbial source tracking), and fecal indicator bacteria (E. coli).