Over 95,000 people visit the Dry Tortugas National
Park and Ft. Jefferson annually (Dry Tortugas National
Park, 2000). Toilet facilities utilized by visitors include
composting systems at Ft. Jefferson and facilities on-board
ferries. However, research since 2004 points to direct inputs
from recreational users (diving and other recreational
swimming) as a primary source for human associated fecal
microbes in waters near and around the Fort (D.W. Griffin,
unpublished data).