Popham Beach - Center

Phippsburg, Maine

Popham Beach is a sandy beach located in Phippsburg. The southwestern area of the beach is accessible via Popham Beach State Park. Recreational beach activities include swimming, fishing, and kite flying. For those who prefer taking it easy, the beach is a great spot for sunbathing, strolling in the sand, and beach combing. Lifeguards are on duty within the state park boundary only.

The water quality is monitored by Popham Beach SP Beach/Park Manager,Brian Murray.
Tel. (207)389-1335
Email: brian.j.murray@maine.gov

Get directions to this beach

COVID-19

Keep your distance from other people.

Practicing social distancing is essential right now. Follow the advice of the health experts. If your community has asked that you remain indoors and away from others, do so. Heading to the beach should only be considered an option if social distancing practices can be followed. Spending a day in any crowded place is the worst thing we can do for our most vulnerable right now and will counter the efforts to curb the virus’ spread.

For more information, please visit the World Health Organization public resource on COVID-19.

Water Quality

Passed water quality tests at least 95% of the time
Historical Status
This status is based on the latest sample, taken on August 26th, 2019. The Swim Guide updates the status of this beach as soon as test results become available. These results were posted to Swim Guide on August 28th, 2019 at 9:41 AM.

For water quality icon legend, click:

Current Weather

17°C

Clear and sunny

Report Pollution

Monitoring Frequency

Source Information

The Maine Healthy Beaches program is managed by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and coordinated by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Monitoring of coastal beaches is conducted by local staff and volunteers and the decision to post the beach is the responsibility of local municipalities and parks. See the beach description for more information including how to contact the local beach management entity.

Monitoring results and advisories are posted on the Maine Healthy Beaches website. http://www.mainecoastdata.org/public/CurrentBeachStatus.aspx
Advisory and closure notices are also posted at major beach access points and/or at lifeguard stands.

Most beaches in the program are tested weekly on either Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. However some beaches with a high risk of pollution are tested two to three times a week, and beaches with a low risk of pollution are sampled every two weeks. The monitoring season runs between Memorial Day and until the week after Labor Day. However monitoring can begin as early as April.

If a sample exceeds water quality standards it is retested and an advisory is issued. The Healthy Beaches Program also uses a Risk Assessment Matrix to determine the likelihood of pollution, local rainfall levels and other conditions when deciding whether or not to post a beach.

When it rains heavily, contaminants are transported to the shoreline from both riverine and stormwater discharges. Therefore, as a precaution many beaches post advisories after local rain events.

Swim Guide checks Maine's Healthy Beaches website Monday to Friday for updates.

A beach is marked Green when Enterococcus is below 104 units /100 ml of water.

A beach is marked Red when Enterococcus is above 104 units /100 ml of water.

A beach is marked Grey when there is no current or reliable data available.

Water Quality Graph