Cape Henlopen Beach

Lewes, Delaware

This beach is part of Cape Henlopen State Park on the Atlantic Ocean. There are two swimming beaches with lifeguards on duty (between Memorial Day and Labor Day). For your convenience, the northern swimming beach has showers and changerooms. You can also purchase concessions here. The beach is wheelchair accessible from the boardwalk.

Water Quality
  • Passed water quality tests at least 95% of the time

  • Historical Status
  • This status is based on the latest sample, taken on September 6th, 2022. Swim Guide - Main updates the status of this beach as soon as test results become available. These results were posted to Swim Guide on September 9th, 2022 at 12:42 PM.
For water quality icon legend, click:  
Current Weather
17°C
Chance of heavy rain
Monitoring Frequency

Cape Henlopen Beach is sampled weekly from May 27th to September 24th.

Source Information

In Delaware, recreational water is monitored by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. Water samples are collected at least weekly at all guarded beaches during the swimming season (May to September). Water samples are analyzed to determine the levels of Enterococci bacteria.

Swim Guide checks for the latest information daily, Monday - Friday during the monitoring season. Please contact the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (302-739-9939) during the off season if you would like to have the water tested before a special event.

A marine beach is marked Green when the single sample results show Enterococci counts below 104 cfu / 100ml of water AND when the geometric mean of 5 samples are fewer than 35 cfu of Enterococci per 100 ml of water. For fresh water beaches are marked GREEN when the E.coli counts are below 100 E.coli/100ml for a geomean AND below 185 E.coli/100ml for a single sample.

A marine beach is marked Red when single sample results show Enterococci counts above 104 cfu/ 100 ml of water or when the geometric mean of 5 samples is greater than 35 cfu of Enterococci / 100 ml of water. For fresh water beaches are marked RED when the E.coli counts are above 100 E.coli/100ml for a geomean OR above 185 E.coli/100ml for a single sample.

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

Results are posted online and on the 24-hour "Beach Hotline" at 1-800-922-WAVE.

Some Delaware beaches are subject to a permanent caution. Swimming in bays and inland waters, particularly after heavy rainfall, can have an elevated risk of illness due to high levels of contamination. Water quality may be better on the coast, and visitors to bay area beaches are urged to exercise caution.

Read more
Water Quality Graph

Cape Henlopen Beach

Lewes, Delaware

Water Quality
  • Passed water quality tests at least 95% of the time
  • Historical Status
  • This status is based on the latest sample, taken on September 6th, 2022. Swim Guide - Main updates the status of this beach as soon as test results become available. These results were posted to Swim Guide on September 9th, 2022 at 12:42 PM.
For water quality icon legend, click:  
Current Weather
17°C
Chance of heavy rain

This beach is part of Cape Henlopen State Park on the Atlantic Ocean. There are two swimming beaches with lifeguards on duty (between Memorial Day and Labor Day). For your convenience, the northern swimming beach has showers and changerooms. You can also purchase concessions here. The beach is wheelchair accessible from the boardwalk.

Monitoring Frequency

Cape Henlopen Beach is sampled weekly from May 27th to September 24th.

Source Information

In Delaware, recreational water is monitored by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. Water samples are collected at least weekly at all guarded beaches during the swimming season (May to September). Water samples are analyzed to determine the levels of Enterococci bacteria.

Swim Guide checks for the latest information daily, Monday - Friday during the monitoring season. Please contact the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (302-739-9939) during the off season if you would like to have the water tested before a special event.

A marine beach is marked Green when the single sample results show Enterococci counts below 104 cfu / 100ml of water AND when the geometric mean of 5 samples are fewer than 35 cfu of Enterococci per 100 ml of water. For fresh water beaches are marked GREEN when the E.coli counts are below 100 E.coli/100ml for a geomean AND below 185 E.coli/100ml for a single sample.

A marine beach is marked Red when single sample results show Enterococci counts above 104 cfu/ 100 ml of water or when the geometric mean of 5 samples is greater than 35 cfu of Enterococci / 100 ml of water. For fresh water beaches are marked RED when the E.coli counts are above 100 E.coli/100ml for a geomean OR above 185 E.coli/100ml for a single sample.

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

Results are posted online and on the 24-hour "Beach Hotline" at 1-800-922-WAVE.

Some Delaware beaches are subject to a permanent caution. Swimming in bays and inland waters, particularly after heavy rainfall, can have an elevated risk of illness due to high levels of contamination. Water quality may be better on the coast, and visitors to bay area beaches are urged to exercise caution.

Read more
Water Quality Graph

  Beach Location Water Quality
Lewes, Delaware
Lewes, Delaware
Lewes, Delaware
Lewes, Delaware
Swim Guide
is supported by
* The RBC Foundation

Swim Guide shares the best information we have at the moment you ask for it. Always obey signs at the beach or advisories from official government agencies. Stay alert and check for other swimming hazards such as dangerous currents and tides. Please report your pollution concerns so Affiliates can help keep other beach-goers safe.

Swim Guide, "Swim Drink Fish icons," and associated trademarks are owned by SWIM DRINK FISH CANADA. See Legal.

© SWIM DRINK FISH CANADA, 2011 - 2023