Sixteen of the eighteen sites in the lower Neuse River met recreational water quality standards this week, according to Sound Rivers.
A Sound River press release said the following sites in the Lower Neuse River are tested weekly: “Lake Wilson in Wilson; Old Waynesborough State Park in Goldsboro; N.C. Highway 11 and Oak Bluff Road boating access sites in Kinston; Maple Cypress boat ramp in Grifton; Cow Pen Landing boat ramp in Vanceboro; Glenburnie, Bridgeton Park, Lawson Creek, Spring Garden boat ramp and Blackbeard Sailing Club in the New Bern area; the River Bend kayak launch; Trent Woods on the Trent River; Brices Creek in James City; Slocum Creek in Havelock; Pollocksville boating access; and Pierce Creek and Midyette Street boat access in Oriental.” Two sites — Slocum Creek in Havelock and Pierce Creek in Oriental — failed to meet recreational water quality standards this week.
“We’ve had a lot of rain over the past week or so, and we’re definitely seeing an impact on water quality because all that stormwater runoff is carrying lots of bacteria into the waterways,” said Sound Rivers Volunteer Coordinator Emily Fritz.
The release said, “A ‘Swim Guide fail’ means elevated levels of fecal bacteria, which can come with increased risk of gastrointestinal illness and skin infections for pets and humans alike. Swim Guide is an international water-quality program conducted locally by Sound Rivers, an environmental nonprofit whose mission to keep North Carolina’s waterways fishable, swimmable and drinkable. This summer marks the ninth year of Swim Guide in the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico watersheds. The program runs from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend.”
“Results are released to the public on Friday afternoons throughout the summer atsoundrivers.org/swim-guide, through local media and text. To get results delivered weekly via text, text “Rivers” to 50155.”
The full press release can be found here.
By Wendy Card, editor. Send an email with questions or comments.