College Creek, a small stream that runs through west Ames, is contaminated with high levels of bacteria and has been declared off-limits, city officials said.

“We determined it was unsafe for people to be in,” said Clare Bills, city of Ames public relations officer. “It’s just a very likely place for children to be playing.”

Water from the creek, which begins west of Ames city limits and runs a few hundred feet south of the Ames Middle School, is only dangerous when ingested, Bills said.

She said city officials have posted signs along the creek and have informed local schools of the problem.

Officials became aware of the problem in late February when a citizen reported a discharge in the creek to the city’s Water and Pollution Control Department, Bills said. City officials then contacted the state Department of Natural Resources because the main area of concern is outside city limits.

Jim Stricker, DNR field supervisor in Des Moines, said water samples taken from the creek by sanitary engineers were found to contain high levels of fecal coliform bacteria. Engineers tested the water again recently and found the level of bacteria was still too high.

“In retrospect, we’re not surprised,” Stricker said. “I don’t think people should expect any changes in the pollution levels until we take care of the problems.”

Stricker said DNR investigators believe the source of the pollution is three mobile home courts and a restaurant near the creek, which may be discharging more waste than their permits allow. The city did not release the names of the courts or the restaurant.

Reducing the level of pollutants discharged by the mobile homes and the restaurant has proven to be easier said than done, Stricker said, as two of the mobile home parks have needed extra time to get their discharges up to code.

Stricker said, however, the DNR might not be able to wait that long.

“We want to take care of the pollution problem as soon as we can,” he said. “Once we get treatment levels where they should be, our concerns will be gone.”

One of the mobile home parks, as well as the restaurant, should have their pollution levels reduced to acceptable amounts by the end of the year, Stricker said.