Swamp Creek Beach - Murrumbidgee River

Stromlo, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Managed by Transport Canberra & City Services - ACT Government

WATER QUALITY INFORMATION

This area is OPEN with no restrictions in place. However, the water temperature is extremely cold. EXERCISE CAUTION if entering the water.

Standing Bacteria Alert: Swimming should be avoided for several days after heavy rainfall as bacterial levels are strongly affected by such events.

SITE INFORMATION

Uriarra West (Swamp Creek) Crossing is located where Uriarra Road crosses the magnificent Murrumbidgee River, and is accessed off Uriarra Road. There are great spots for shady river-side picnicking. On hot summer days you will find many Canberrans enjoying the easy access to the river, lovely swimming spots and picnic areas. Fishing and canoeing are also popular activities.

This is one of our DOG-FRIENDLY picnic areas.

Facilities include:

•Toilets
•Wood barbecues
•Shelter
•Picnic tables
•Off leash dog exercise area
•Fishing
•Swimming
•Canoe entry points

There are no bins provided, please take your rubbish home and recycle.

Be aware that phone reception is not reliable throughout the Murrumbidgee River Corridor. Do not depend on your phone for safety or directions.

For further information go to - https://www.environment.act.gov.au/parks-conservation/parks-and-reserves/find-a-park/murrumbidgee-river-corridor/uriarra-crossing-eastwest

WATER QUALITY

Passed water quality tests 60-95% of the time
Historical Status
This status is based on the latest sample, taken on February 4th, 2019. Transport Canberra & City Services - ACT Government updates the status of this beach as soon as test results become available. These results were posted to Swim Guide on at

For water quality icon legend, click:

Report Pollution

MONITORING FREQUENCY

SOURCE INFORMATION

Blue-green algae (Cyanobacteria) and Bacteria (intestinal enterococci, a faecal indicator) are monitored to evaluate water quality for recreational purposes. Bacteria water quality criteria only applies to primary contact activities e.g. swimming, water-skiing, diving etc. Blue- green algae water quality criteria applies to both primary and secondary contact activities e.g. sailing, rowing, kayaking etc.

Blue-green algae is tested all year-round on a weekly basis. Faecal indicators are tested weekly during the recreation season (September/ October to April).

Samples are typically collected on Mondays (or Tuesdays if Monday is a public holiday). Secondary resampling if required occurs on the following day.

Water quality results are posted on the Transport Canberra and City Services (TCCS) website, Water Quality in Our Lakes, Ponds and Rivers.
Water quality advisory signs are located at all recreational areas where sampling occurs and as required are changed to reflect the status of a designated site.
Microbial results are entered into a spreadsheet which is sent out to designated stakeholders. From October 2017 the microbial results may be available from the data act website. Certificates of analysis are sent to Environmental Health at the HPS.

Advisories are issued when water quality exceeds either cyanobacteria and cyanotoxin criteria or when enterococci levels exceed public health risk criteria.

Beaches are given a green (pass) status if their most recent sample results meet both of the following protective criteria :
Enterococci: 200 cfu/100mL

Cyanobacteria: less than 20,000 Indicative Microcystis aeruginosa algae cells/ml

Beaches are given a red (fail) if they exceed either of the following protective criteria:
Enterococci: 200 cfu/100mL

Cyanobacteria: 20,000 Indicative Microcystis aeruginosa algae cells/ml (Medium alert)

Additional warnings are issued when cyanobacteria level reach high (≥50,000 cells/ml) or extreme ( ≥125,000 cells/ml) levels.

WATER QUALITY GRAPH