Shoalhaven State of the Beaches 2022-23 report

All 10 Shoalhaven swimming sites named in the report were graded as having very good water quality.

"This is an outstanding result and a similar performance to previous years," was how the report summed up the Shoalhaven results.

Shoalhaven Heads Beach, Tilbury Cove, Warrain Beach, Collingwood Beach, Cudmirrah Beach, Mollymook Beach, Rennies Beach, Racecourse Beach, Bawley Point Beach and Merry Beach were the 10 beaches featured in the report.

"These sites had excellent water quality and were suitable for swimming almost all of the time," the report found.

The water quality of beaches and other swimming locations is monitored under the NSW Government's Beachwatch programs to provide the community with accurate information on the cleanliness of the water.

Shoalhaven Heads Beach

The Beach Suitability Grade of Very Good indicates microbial water quality is considered suitable for swimming almost all of the time, with few potential sources of faecal contamination. Enterococci [Enterococcus is a large genus of lactic acid bacteria] levels had little response to rainfall and generally remained below the safe swimming limit across all rainfall categories. The site was monitored from 2003 to 2004 and since 2006.

Tilbury Cove

The Beach Suitability Grade of Very Good indicates microbial water quality is considered suitable for swimming almost all of the time, with few sources of minor faecal contamination. Enterococci levels had little response to rainfall and remained below the safe swimming limit across all rainfall categories. The site was monitored from 2002 to 2004 and since 2006.

Warrain Beach

The Beach Suitability Grade of Very Good indicates microbial water quality is considered suitable for swimming almost all of the time, with few potential sources of faecal contamination. Enterococci levels increased slightly with increasing rainfall but remained below the safe swimming limit across all rainfall categories. The site has been monitored since 2007.

Collingwood Beach

The Beach Suitability Grade of Very Good indicates microbial water quality is considered suitable for swimming almost all of the time, with few potential sources of faecal contamination. Enterococci levels increased slightly with increasing rainfall but remained below the safe swimming limit across all rainfall categories. The site has been monitored since 2006.

Cudmirrah Beach

The Beach Suitability Grade of Very Good indicates microbial water quality is considered suitable for swimming almost all of the time, with few significant sources of faecal contamination. Enterococci levels increased slightly with increasing rainfall but generally remained below the safe swimming limit across all rainfall categories. The site was monitored from 2003 to 2004 and since 2006.

Mollymook Beach

The Beach Suitability Grade of Very Good indicates microbial water quality is considered suitable for swimming almost all of the time, with few significant sources of faecal contamination. Enterococci levels increased slightly with increasing rainfall and generally remained below the safe swimming limit across most rainfall categories. The site was monitored from 2002 to 2003 and since 2008.

Rennies Beach

The Beach Suitability Grade of Very Good indicates microbial water quality is considered suitable for swimming almost all of the time, with few significant sources of faecal contamination. Enterococci levels had little response to rainfall and remained below the safe swimming limit across all rainfall categories. The site has been monitored since 2006.

Racecourse Beach

The Beach Suitability Grade of Very Good indicates microbial water quality is considered suitable for swimming almost all of the time, with few potential sources of faecal contamination. Enterococci levels had little response to rainfall and remained below the safe swimming limit across all rainfall categories. The site was monitored from 2002 to 2004 and since 2006.

Bawley Point Beach

The Beach Suitability Grade of Very Good indicates microbial water quality is considered suitable for swimming almost all of the time, with few significant sources of faecal contamination. Enterococci levels had little response to rainfall and remained below the safe swimming limit across all rainfall categories. The site has been monitored since 2006.

Merry Beach

The Beach Suitability Grade of Very Good indicates microbial water quality is considered suitable for swimming almost all of the time, with few potential sources of faecal contamination. Enterococci levels had little response to rainfall and generally remained below the safe swimming limit across all rainfall categories. The site has been monitored since 2006.

The report went onto explain that while water quality at these sites was suitable for swimming almost all of the time, elevated bacterial levels were occasionally recorded at some of the beaches following heavy rainfall.

"As a general precaution swimming should be avoided during and for at least one day after heavy rain at ocean beaches, or if there are signs of stormwater pollution such as discoloured water or floating debris," the report advised.

While September and October 2022 were very wet, November had close to average rainfall. Jervis Bay received record high rainfall in October with 261 mm, and more than four times the average long-term monthly rainfall was recorded at Ulladulla and Batemans Bay in October with 375 mm and 338 mm, respectively.

Average to below average rainfall was recorded on the South Coast during summer despite some significant wet weather events.

While December 2022 and January 2023 were drier than average, consecutive days of heavy rain fell in February 2023 in many areas, with highest daily totals of 94 mm recorded at Jervis Bay and Narooma and98 mm recorded at Ulladulla.

Rainfall was variable along the South Coast in March2023, with above average rainfall recorded at Jervis Bay and Ulladulla, and average to below average rainfall at Narooma and Moruya Heads. Storms brought heavy rainfall to the region in April with Jervis Bay recording the highest April daily rainfall on record on April 30 with 207 mm recorded.