Is the Delaware Bay clean enough to swim in?

Certainly, not all waterways are swimmable even in 2019, but they are much cleaner. Some portions of the Delaware are swimmable based on bacteria levels. Other portions are not, including where the teens gathered near the defunct Pier 18, also known as Graffiti Pier.



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For its size, the Upper Delaware River contains some of the highest water quality in the eastern United States. The upper portion of the watershed remains largely forested. These forests act as a natural buffer against pollution and erosion by filtering water, which is very important for maintaining water quality.

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Delaware River Basin waterways are still polluted 50 years after the Clean Water Act | Opinion. Published: Oct. 30, 2022, 6:01 p.m.

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Delaware Seashore The main attraction for many visitors is swimming and sunbathing along the park's spectacular beaches. Two ocean swimming areas feature modern bathhouses with showers and changing rooms. Lifeguards patrol the beaches from 9 am to 5 pm daily between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day.

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The Delaware Bay is bordered by the states of New Jersey & Delaware and reached depths of more than 150ft. It mixes fresh water with the salty brine of the nearby Atlantic Ocean and is part of the second most travelled maritime trade routes in the United States.

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On March 24, 2023, the Trinseo Altuglas chemical plant in Bristol, Pennsylvania in the United States had an equipment failure that resulted in a leak of between 8,100 and 12,000 gallons of butyl acetate, ethyl acetate, and methyl methacrylate into Otter Creek, a tributary of the Delaware River.

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However, the most famous fact about the Delaware River is the famous crossing of it by George Washington in 1776 which helped him successfully surprise Hessian troops in New Jersey during the American Revolution.

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Some popular Delaware River swimming holes are located at Bulls Island just north of New Hope and Lambertville, Farview in Stroudsburg, Flatbrook and Milford swimming holes in Milford, and at the Trestle Bridge in Columbia, New Jersey. 112 Popular swimming lakes include Crater Lake and Highlands Natural Pool.

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The Bay supports the world's largest freshwater port system, approximately 3,000 vessels a year, and is the largest receiving center for crude oil, steel, paper, and meat imports. Fort Delaware is on the National Register of Historic Places.

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Rehoboth Beach Has The Clearest, Most Pristine Water In Delaware.

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John Maerz, Professor of Vertebrate Ecology at the University of Georgia, told Reuters that all snakes can swim, and most swim below the water, or partially submerged.

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The chemicals released into the Delaware River include butyl acrylate, a flammable liquid used to manufacture paints, coatings, caulks, sealants, and adhesives. The same chemical was also released into a river in East Palestine, Ohio as a result of the Norfolk Southern train derailment.

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In tests taken Wednesday, the average level of bacteria for Rehoboth Beach over the past 30 days was about 27 colonies per 100ml. That level was 1,313 per 100ml. In Bethany, the bacteria level was much higher at 3,873 colonies per 100ml. Bacteria was far less elevated in Dewey, with 160 per 100ml.

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