Historical Water Quality
Passed water quality tests at least 95% of the time
This status is based on the latest sample, take on August 31st, 2023 Mountain True - West updates the status of this beach as soon as test results become available. These results were posted to Swim Guide on September 1st at 2:00 PM.
Fires Creek - Leatherwood Falls Access is sampled Weekly from May 26th to September 1st
About Fires Creek - Leatherwood Falls Access
Source Information
MountainTrue's Western Regional Office is located in Murphy, North Carolina. Every week from May to September, MountainTrue West staff, interns, and volunteers monitor water quality at sites across the Hiwassee, Nottely and Valley river watersheds. Weekly results are posted on Fridays so you know where it's safe to swim, fish, and paddle on your weekend adventures. Results will be communicated through the Swim Guide mobile app and website, as well as the MountainTrue West Facebook page. MountainTrue West utilizes the EPA-approved IDEXX Colilert-18 method for collecting and analyzing water samples and, beginning in 2023, compares the results against the EPA's (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) 2012 Recreational Water Quality Criteria for primary contact of 126 CFU/100 mL. Test results are expressed as Most Probable Number (MPN) of E. coli CFU (colony forming units) per 100 ml. [Please note that prior to 2023, MountainTrue was using 235 CFU/100mL as its threshold value.] A beach is marked Green when single sample results are under 126 E.coli / 100 ML water. A beach is marked Red when the results are equal to or above 126 E.coli / 100 ML water. A beach is marked Grey when there are no current results or there is no available information.
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