Winyah Rivers Alliance

Winyah Bay Watershed Swim Guide Update

Every Wednesday, Winyah Rivers Alliance tests popular recreation sites across the Winyah Bay Watershed to help keep YOU informed and safe while enjoying our beautiful waterways.

This week's results showed encouraging conditions across much of the watershed. The Waccamaw River, Black River, Little P*e Dee River, Great P*e Dee River, and Sampit River sites sampled all received green results.

The Lumber River is experiencing issues at Ricefield Cove Landing and Fair Bluff Landing, and we will be following up to investigate these issues. We have also experienced some technical difficulties and apologize for the missing Lumber River site results again this week.

The Lynches River continues to experience water quality concerns, with all sampled sites failing this week's testing. Dylan, the P*e Dee-Lynches Riverkeeper, will be addressing any issues on the Lynches.

We also apologize for the delayed post. We normally share Swim Guide results on Fridays.

Swim Guide results use EPA Beach Action Values (BAVs) as a precautionary tool to inform the public about water quality. While we do not issue official swim advisories, we share current f***l indicator bacteria levels to help you make informed decisions before heading out on the water.

A site receives a passing result when:
E. coli levels are below 235 MPN/100 mL in freshwater
Enterococcus levels are below 104 MPN/100 mL in saltwater

Samples are collected on Wednesdays, and results are posted on Fridays.

**Remember: We recommend avoiding swimming for 24–48 hours after heavy rain, as runoff can increase bacteria levels and carry pollutants into our waterways.

A special thank you to our dedicated volunteers who help collect samples each week. Your commitment makes this program possible and helps keep our communities informed.

Thank you also to Coastal Carolina University and the Waccamaw Watershed Academy for your help gathering data on the Waccamaw River! We appreciate you!

Thank you, Lake Waccamaw State Park Friends for all you do for the rivers!

June is National Rivers Month! There's no better time to get outside, explore our rivers, and help protect the waterways that make our region so special.

Stay safe, stay informed, and enjoy our rivers responsibly!

Swim Guide Waterkeepers Carolina Waterkeeper Alliance Coastal Carolina University