|
Beach Water
Quality Information
- Summary of U.S.
Great Lakes BeachClosings (1981-1994)
This beach closing summary presents the findings of 14 years
of annual surveys of Great Lakes bathing beaches. It identifies
the counties in which there have been no, few, or persistent
closings of beaches due to impaired beach conditions.
Other EPA Water Quality Protection Programs
- Great Lakes National Program
The EPA Great Lakes National Program oversees activities to
restore and maintain the physical, chemical and biological integrity
of the Great Lakes Basin ecosystem. This site provides information
on the water quality of the Great Lakes and has a collection
of photographs of beaches around the Great Lakes.
- Chesapeake Bay Program
Throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed there are many bathing
beaches and recreational areas. The Chesapeake Bay Program is
a unique regional partnership that directs and conducts the
restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. This site describes the Chesapeake
Bay Program and provides information on the health of the Bay
and its ecosystem.
- National EstuaryProgram
In 1987, Congress established the National Estuary Program (NEP)
as part of the Clean Water Act. The NEP's mission is to protect
and restore the health of estuaries while supporting economic
and recreational activities. This site lists the NEPs by region
so you can easily find information about estuary protection
programs in your area.
- Environmental Monitoring
for Public Accessand Community Tracking (EMPACT) Program
The EMPACT program is a new approach to working with communities
to make timely, accurate, and understandable environmental information
available in the largest US metropolitan areas. This information
will better enable communities and individuals to make informed
day-to-day decisions about health and the environment.
- EPA Regional
Offices
There are ten EPA Regional Offices that work with state, tribal,
and local governmental agencies to carry out national water
quality protection programs. Information about local water quality
can be found on each of these websites. In each regional office
is a Regional Beach Coordinator
that you may contact if you would like additional information
on the BEACH Program.
Other Federal Agency Water Quality Protection
Programs
State and Local Water Quality Protection
Programs
All links exit EPA 
- Why
is the Beach Closed Today? - Illinois Department of Public
Health
- E.Coli
Health Information - Illinois Department of Public Health
- Earth
911 Beach Reports
- California:
LA County Beach Advisories
- California:
County of San Diego Environmental Health Land and Water Quality
Division
The "Beach and Bay Status Report" page provides daily updated
information regarding recreational water quality for San Diego
County. The San Diego County Department of Environmental Health,
Recreational Water Quality Program conducts "Beach and Bay"
surveys during the months of April to September to verify compliance
with State standards for recreational water.
- California: County of Santa
Cruz Environmental Health Services
The County of Santa Cruz Environmental Health Service provides
water quality information to concerned swimmers to alert them
of possible areas that may be contaminated by fecal coliform
bacteria. They regularly test rivers, creeks, and ocean swimming
areas in Santa Cruz County for the potential presence of disease-causing
organisms by testing for "indicator" bacteria.
- California:
County of Ventura Environmental Health Division
The County of Ventura Environmental Health Division protects
human health and the environment through routine monitoring
of coastal marine waters for bacterial contamination and providing
information on the quality of coastal waters. This site provides
up-to-date information on water quality at the beaches in Ventura
County.
- California:
Santa Barbara County Environmental Health Services
The Santa Barbara County Environmental Health Services' Recreational
Health Program was developed to insure the safe and sanitary
operation of public swimming facilities and to prevent the transmission
of diseases and illnesses at all recreational facilities including
public beaches. The Santa Barbara County Environmental Health
Services tests sixteen Santa Barbara county beaches each week
and distributes test results in weekly press releases. This
data is being added to a database to help water-quality monitoring
officials better understand trends and possible causes of poor
beach water quality.
- California: Los
Angeles, Heal the Bay
Heal the Bay is a non-profit environmental group founded to
fight for a "fishable, swimmable Bay". Through research, education,
community actions, and programs they hope to make Santa Monica
Bay and Southern California waters safe and healthy for people
and marine life. This site provides a weekly beach report card
for beaches around the Santa Monica Bay.
- California: Santa Monica Bay
Restoration Project
In 1988, a coalition of environmentalists, government agencies,
scientists, businesses, and the public was formed to protect
water quality in the Santa Monica Bay. This site describes the
project and what you can do to help restore the Bay.
- Florida: Florida Department
of Health
The Florida Department of health developed a pilot project to
monitor beach water quality and to notify the public of water
quality conditions in five coastal Florida counties: Broward,
Okaloosa, Pinellas, Sarasota, and Volusia. On July 20, 1998,
county health departments began monitoring eight selected beach
sites along their coastline. These beaches are being sampled
using EPA approved laboratory methods for Enterococci.
- Indiana: Lake Michigan
Coastal Coordination Program
This site posts beach closings around Lake Michigan, lists Indiana
sites that are being monitored for E. coli, and lists the number
of Indiana beaches whose E. coli counts exceeded the Indiana
water quality criteria for a single sample.
- Massachusetts: Charles River
Watershed Association (CRWA)
CRWA was formed in 1965 in response to increasing public concern
about the declining condition of the Charles. CRWA works closely
with other citizen groups and with local, state and federal
officials on major cleanup and watershed protection projects.
- Massachusetts: The Boston Harbor
Association (TBHA)
The Boston Harbor Association (TBHA) is a non-profit organization
founded in 1973 to promote a clean, alive and accessible Boston
Harbor. The Boston Harbor Association's priorities include improving
water quality in Boston Harbor, restoring Boston Harbor Beaches,
promoting the Port of Boston's maritime and recreational economy,
establishing continuous public access along the waterfront through
our Harbor Walk program, promoting affordable public water transportation
throughout the harbor, and educating young people about Boston
Harbor and related career opportunities through our Harbor Bound
Program.
- Massachusetts: Massachusetts
Water Resources Authority (MWRA)
MWRA is a Massachusetts public authority established 1984 to
provide wholesale water and sewer services to 2.5 million people
and more than 5,500 large industrial users in the Boston Area.
MWRA supports water quality recovery efforts along the Boston
Harbor. For information on the harbor's water quality, check
out the link for the Harbor and Bay.
- Massachusetts:
Metropolitan District Commission
The Metropolitan District Commission Division of Watershed Management
manages and protects the drinking water supply watersheds for
nearly 2.2 million residents of Massachusetts, primarily in
Greater Boston. he Metropolitan District Commission is the oldest
regional park system in the country. Explore the many reserves,
beaches and historic sites with this on-line guide.
- Michigan:
Genesee County Health Department
Facts and Figures re: Beach Advisories
- Mississippi
Beach Monitoring Program
Mississippi Beach Open / Closure Information
- Washington:
Beach Environmental Assessment, Communication and Health Program
Ecology and the Department of Health team up to help protect
people that play in saltwater.
- Washington:
WSU Island County Environmental Programs
A program designed to enhance the quality of the environment
in and around Island County, Washington. This site contains
information on the Beach Watchers, what they do, and their calendar
of events.
|
|
