Overview
The WNC Recreational Water Quality program was developed by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources Asheville Regional Office (ARO) for the purpose of monitoring water quality in heavily recreated waterbodies in western North Carolina. Based on current resources and strategies, the state-funded initiative leverages and enhances existing monitoring programs, expands water quality analytical methods and evaluates the use of models to estimate bacteria levels to supplement water quality sampling.
Program updates
Track E. coli monitoring results in DWR’s online tool
DWR launched a new tool in the summer of 2025 that is designed to display the results of freshwater sampling conducted through the WNC Recreational Monitoring program.
WNC Recreational Monitoring Program Dashboard
Through the map, users can identify locations where E. coli values are above and below recreational guidance values, in addition to tracking results posted publicly online through the Swim Guide.
E. coli is a diverse species of bacteria found in the environment, food and intestines of animals and humans. The presence of E. coli at elevated levels in streams, lakes and rivers is an indication of the increased presence of disease-causing bacteria and viruses. E. coli can result from point and nonpoint source pollution. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (U.S. EPA)’s website has more information: nonpoint source pollution. DWR cannot tell users when it is safe to swim. The results posted to the dashboard are considered preliminary, and are intended to help the public make decisions about their own risk.
The N.C. Department of Human Health Services (DHHS) is charged with issuing health and (or) recreational advisories in North Carolina. Contact NCDHHS or your local health department to stay up to date on water quality advisories for recreational waters. NCDHHS has recommendations for recreational water safety online. More summer safety tips can be found online. DHHS advises the public to use caution during recreational water activities after Hurricane Helene.
Continuation of the French Broad E. coli estimator, partnership expansion
For the 2025 season, DWR's Asheville Regional Office will continue to serve out, in partnership with environmental and conservation organization Mountain True, the E. coli estimator for the French Broad River near Pearson Bridge in Asheville. The estimator will continue to provide an near real-time estimate of the E. coli value and can be found online: French Broad at Pearson Bridge E. coli estimator.
In addition, DWR staff are working with Mountain True, the Swannanoa Watershed Action Network and the Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee to enhance water quality monitoring and data analysis. Staff are looking forward to potential expansion of the partnerships and monitoring network with local county health departments with added monitoring in new river basins.
For more information on E. coli, please visit DWR’s Asheville webpage and the Frequently Asked Questions link. North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' guidelines for recreational water illnesses are available online: Avoiding Recreational Water Illnesses.
Icon to inform recreational users of water monitoring sites
The WNC Recreational Water Quality icon will be used to identify locations in DWR's monitoring program. Data or information with this icon will have been vetted through the program. Staff plan to increase signage at monitored locations to inform recreational users where sites are monitored by DWR, and how to access relevant water quality data.
New testing method for water quality analysis
DWR's Asheville water testing laboratory plans to begin using dPCR, or digital polymerase chain reaction, technology for water quality analysis. PCR technology amplifies nucleic acid to allow rapid (3-4 hours) testing for E. coli and other fecal material markers such as HF183, the human DNA marker. DWR staff are looking to employ this technology eventually throughout the region to reduce analytical time and enhance source tracing.