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Is it safe to swim here? That’s one of the most common questions Riverkeepers get during the summer. To help empower you to decide if an area is safe for swimming, the Catawba Riverkeeper operates the Swim Guide program from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Each week over the summer, Catawba Riverkeeper staff and volunteers will collect samples at about 60 popular swimming areas to test for E. coli. Results will be posted on Fridays, so you’ll be informed for the weekend.
Results will be shared on the national Swim Guide map (accessible online and via the Catawba Riverkeeper app) and will follow a stoplight system to help you easily understand results. Locations that come back with high amounts of E. coli will be marked red.
Site sponsorships are $500 and cover the cost of materials required to collect samples and run tests weekly for each site. Lake sponsorships are $5,000 and cover the personnel expenses incurred by staff and interns for time and mileage. For $2,500, you can sponsor an intern who will be working on the Swim Guide program.
Sponsorship requests are granted on a first come, first served basis. Email diana@catawbariverkeeper.org to inquire about availability.
2024 Swim Guide Sites (Tentative)
Lake James
- Hidden Cove Access
- Canal Bridge
- State Park Catawba River
- State Park Paddys Creek
Lake Rhodhiss
- Lakeside Park
- Castle Bridge
Lake Hickory
- 46th Avenue Sandbar
- Geitner Park
- Gunpowder Creek
- Hickory Water Filtration Plant
- Loudanya Lane
- Sandbar and Grill
- Taylorsville Beach
- Wittenberg Swim Beach
Lookout Shoals
- Lookout Shoals
Lake Norman
- Playground Island
- Jetton North Island
- Slanting Bridge Cove
- Cove Across from Blue Parrot
- Oakwood Cove
- Trump National
- Lake Norman State Park
- McCrary Creek Cove
- YMCA
- Ramsey Creek
Mountain Island Lake
- McDowell Creek
- Sandbar
- Latta Nature Beach
- Mt. Holly Water Plant
- Buzzard Rock
- Mountain Island
South Fork
- Boathouse
- Baltimore
Lake Wylie
- Little Allison
- Ebeneezer Park
- Tega Cay
- Mill Creek
- River Hills
- Sadler Sandbar
- Big Allison
- Camp T-Bird
- Catawba Creek Cove
- Catawba Yatch Club
- South Point Swim Beach
- Rock Hill Park Swim Beach
Fishing Creek
- Lake Wylie Dam Release
- Catawba Reservation
- Boat Ramp
- Rocky Creek
Lake Wateree
- Sailing Club
- Molly Creek Swim Beach
- Duck Blind
- Wateree Creek Cove
- Lake Wateree State Park
- Rock Pile
- Rec Center
Lake/River Sponsorships Available:
- Lake James
- Lake Rhodhiss
- Lake Norman
- Mountain Island Lake
- South Fork River
- Lake Wylie
- Free Flowing Catawba below Lake Wylie Dam
- Fishing Creek Lake
- Lake Wateree