Keeping Beaches Safe and Accessible for All People with the Blue Water Task Force
Cape Fear is a region steeped in history, located in southeast North Carolina, where the Cape Fear River meets the Atlantic Ocean. Home to the City of Wilmington, Cape Fear is blessed with scenic beaches, winding waterways, and abundant opportunities to enjoy the coast. From surfing and swimming to fishing and boating, residents and visitors alike enjoy spending time on and in the water.
Like other coastal states, however, North Carolina’s water quality is affected by stormwater runoff, agricultural runoff from inland areas, and aging wastewater infrastructure. Sewage and animal waste put public health at risk in coastal waterways and fuel harmful algal blooms that cause fish kills and disrupt aquatic ecosystems.
To address these concerns, the Cape Fear Chapter started monitoring water quality at their local beaches in 2023, bringing the Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) to North Carolina for the first time. The chapter partners with the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s (UNCW) Center for Marine Science to monitor ocean beaches and public access points along the Intracoastal Waterway. Their program helps fill gaps left by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) beach program. While the DEQ tests beaches weekly during the summer, testing drops to monthly in the off-season, leaving gaps in public health protection while surfing, swimming, and other types of ocean recreation remain popular. By providing bi-weekly year-round monitoring, the Cape Fear BWTF ensures more consistent coverage and safer beaches throughout the year.
Overseen by program lead Ayanna Mitchell, volunteers collect water samples and deliver them to the university lab, where students test them for enterococcus bacteria. The partnership is a win-win for both the chapter and participating university students. Students gain valuable hands-on lab experience while exploring career opportunities in water quality and environmental science. In turn, the chapter benefits from its association with an academic research laboratory, and the volunteers do not have to shoulder the responsibility of performing the lab analyses and the associated quality controls.
To help keep the public informed about water quality conditions and when it’s safe to swim or surf at the beach, the chapter shares its test results widely within its community every time it samples. All of the chapter’s data is posted on Surfrider’s BWTF website and is shared in a water quality report via social media. The chapter also shares an end-of-year report summarizing their data and discussing annual trends.
So far, results from the Cape Fear BWTF program have been generally clean. There have been occasional instances of elevated bacteria levels, usually following rain, and the chapter quickly alerts the public when this happens. Looking ahead, the chapter is excited to continue expanding its monitoring program and engaging more volunteers to keep Cape Fear’s beaches and waterways safe for everyone to enjoy.
All In the Water Program
In addition to its water quality work, the Cape Fear Chapter also leads the ALL in the Water (Aquatic Love & Learning) program, which focuses on expanding access to the ocean and local waterways for people of all backgrounds. This collaborative initiative addresses historical inequities that have made it difficult for some community members to safely enjoy coastal waters, while strengthening participants’ connection to and appreciation of the water. Now entering its fifth year, the program offers free swim lessons, American Red Cross lifeguard certification, surf instruction, kayak eco-education expeditions, and opportunities to explore ocean-related career pathways. Through hands-on experiences and skill-building activities, ALL in the Water helps participants overcome barriers, gain confidence in the water, and develop a lasting appreciation for the ocean and coastal environment.