Napa Valley Register
By Jennifer Huffman
Warmer weather in Napa Valley leaves some locals looking for a cool place to swim or dip their feet. But is it safe to swim in the Napa River?
A 2005 study reported that due to bacterial contamination, including E. coli, swimming in the river, especially within the Napa city limits was not advisable.
The water quality of the Napa River hasn’t changed significantly since then, said James Ponton, water resources control engineer with the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board.
“The upper parts of the watershed are safer to swim in than the lower parts,” he said. “The cleaner portions are north of the city, outside the urban influence on the river.”