The North Carolina Department of Energy and Natural Resources, Division of Marine Fisheries, has issued one alert and four swimming advisory warnings for Banks Channel in Wrightsville Beach on Tuesday, Aug. 5.
The four swimming advisories will be posted at the following locations: Waynick Boulevard approximately 150 yards north of Iula Street, Waynick Boulevard between Taylor and Bellamy streets, the corner of Waynick Boulevard and Sunset boulevards, and Waynick Boulevard between Snyder and Seashore streets.
On Monday, Aug. 4, the enterococci levels at those locations exceeded the national threshold of 104 enterococci per 100 milliliters of water for a second day in a row. The readings on Aug. 4 were 295.5 enterococci per 100 milliliters of water at the station north of Iula Street; 181.3 between Taylor and Bellamy streets; 411.6 at the corner of Waynick and Sunset boulevards; and 450.9 between Snyder and Seashore streets.
The swimming alert was issued for the waters in Banks Channel and Masonboro Inlet immediately south of United States Coast Guard Station Wrightsville Beach when bacteria levels reached 384 enterococci per 100 milliliters of water during the first reading on Aug. 4.
An advisory means the enterococci levels in the sampled waters nearby exceed the United States Environmental Protection Agency standards and an alert means an advisory could be issued depending on the readings of a second test.
Two other alerts were issued in New Hanover County on Tuesday, both for the ocean waters in Kure Beach.
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