Beach Monitoring

The City of North Myrtle Beach has contracted with Coastal Carolina University-Environmental Quality Lab for the collection and testing of ocean water samples.

Sample Collection & Testing

At some of the sites a stormwater runoff discharge pipe is located on the beach. Water quality monitoring samples are collected in knee deep to waist deep water in the surf.

  1. NMB-1 (WAC-9): 47th Avenue S
  2. NMB-2 (WAC-8): 33rd Avenue S (in pipe discharge confluence)
  3. NMB-3 (WAC-7): 17th Avenue S (in pipe discharge confluence)
  4. NMB-4 (WAC-6): 9th Avenue S (in pipe discharge confluence)
  5. NMB-10 (WAC-5A): 7th Avenue S (in large pipe discharge confluence)
  6. NMB-5 (WAC-5): 3rd Avenue N (in pipe discharge confluence)
  7. NMB-6 (WAC-4): 16th Avenue N (in pipe discharge confluence)
  8. NMB-7 (WAC-3): 30th Avenue N
  9. NMB-8 (WAC-2): 45th Avenue N
  10. NMB-9 (WAC-1): 59th Avenue N

Advisory Posting Procedures

The City of North Myrtle Beach follows the protocol for posting beach advisories as developed by SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). In addition, the City will post precautionary advisories as issued by local DHEC/EQC staff.

Advisory postings are placed on the beach at the sample location if a water quality concern is indicated, as follows:

  • When a single sample exceeds 500 (Enterococci)
  • When consecutive daily samples exceed 104 (Enterococci)

Recommendations During an Advisory

If an advisory is posted, swimming is not recommended within 100 feet of the site. Other activities, such as shell hunting, walking/wading in the surf are not affected.

Long Bay Observation System

The City of North Myrtle Beach participates in the Long Bay Hypoxia Monitoring Consortium. The Long Bay Hypoxia Monitoring Consortium supports water quality and biological monitoring at three fishing piers on the Grand Strand, one of them being the Cherry Grove Pier. Use the following link to see the data from the Cherry Grove Pier, LBOS CGP. For more information about the consortium, use the following link Long Bay Hypoxia Monitoring Consortium. 

For More Information

For more information on advisories, visit the DHEC website.