As the temperatures rise during summer in western North Carolina, those seeking to enjoy tubing or swimming in the rivers can do so with peace of mind regarding water safety.
The water quality monitoring initiative has officially commenced, focusing on assessing the conditions at popular recreational spots throughout the area. This state-funded program enhances current monitoring efforts by incorporating additional testing and modeling tools aimed at tracking bacterial levels in local rivers and streams, as explained by Reid Wilson, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.
During the program’s launch at the French Broad River, Wilson emphasized its role in reassuring the public about the safety of river activities. “This is a beautiful river and the mountains are incredible and people deserve to know that it’s a safe thing to go play in,” he stated.
Program coordinator Rachel Rose detailed the sampling process, which involves using a sterilized bottle to collect water samples. The procedure includes rinsing the bottle three times before securing the final sample, which is then sent to a lab in Swannanoa for analysis.
“We have to have a lab here to be able to analyze it in time because otherwise you start having bacteria grow in your sample bottle and it’s not representative of what’s actually in the river,” Rose explained.
The water samples are divided into two containers: one is analyzed for E. Coli presence, and the other is checked for turbidity levels.
In addition to these tests, officials use a water meter to assess levels of salt, oxygen, pH, conductivity, and temperature in the river. This data is then uploaded to an app for storage and subsequent analysis.
The results from these tests are made available online the following day via the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality website.
The monitoring program evaluates water quality at 71 locations across four river basins, including the French Broad, Broad, Catawba, and Tuckasegee.
