National Overview. During 2009, there were 18,682 days. of closings and advisories at U.S. ocean, bay, and Great Lakes beaches.

Transcription

1 Testing the Waters: A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches National Overview In 2009, the number of closing and advisory days at ocean, bay, and Great Lakes beaches reached 18,682 days nationwide, their sixth-highest level since NRDC began tracking these events 20 years ago. 1 The record high of 25,643 days was reached in 2006, when a dramatic increase in the amount of rain in some parts of the country contributed to the large increase in closing/advisory days. The overall 8% decrease in closing/advisory days from 2008 levels was dominated by decreases in the number of closing and advisory days in the West and in the Territories; many parts of the country experienced a sharp increase in the number of closing and advisory days. In the West, relatively dry conditions in Hawaii and reduced monitoring in Southern California due to budget cuts likely con of closings and advisories at U.S. During 2009, there were 18,682 days tributed to a 24% decrease in the number of closing and ocean, bay, and Great Lakes beaches. advisory days compared with 2008 ( 1,695 days). In the Great Lakes region there was a modest 4% decrease ( 137 days) in Four U.S. territories (Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) reported drier conditions and a 33% decrease ( 1,187 days) in Wetter-than-usual conditions may have contributed to the Delmarva peninsula s having nearly three times as many closing and advisory days as in 2008 (+177 days) and a 31% increase in New England (+482 days). Increases in the number of closing and advisory days were also seen in the southeastern United States, which had a 43% increase (+185 days), and the Gulf Coast beaches, which had an 18% increase (+491 days). The New York/New Jersey coastal area remained virtually unchanged, with an increase of 2% (+25 days). Nationally, there was a 17% decrease in the number of preemptive closing/advisory days 4,517 in 2009 from 5,452 in More than 80% of preemptive closing/advisory days were issued because of heavy rainfall in both years. Figure N-1. Regional Differences in Closing/Advisory Days, Closing/Advisory Days Region Closing/Advisory Days vs Delmarva % Great Lakes 3,003 3,043 3,437 3,300 4% Gulf 3,134 4,336 2,657 3, % New England 1, ,544 2, % NY-NJ 1,093 1,455 1,481 1,506 +2% Southeast 1, % West 11,510 8,990 7,105 5,410 24% Delmarva Great Lakes Gulf New England NY-NJ Southeast West 1 Natural Resources Defense Council Testing the Waters 2010

2 Figure N-2. Regional Differences in Percent of National Standards, % 14% 12% 10% 8% Region National s Delmarva 4% 3% 2% 3% Great Lakes 14% 15% 13% 13% Gulf 6% 8% 7% 6% New England 5% 4% 6% 8% NY-NJ 7% 8% 5% 6% Southeast 3% 2% 3% 3% West 8% 5% 7% 7% 6% 4% 2% 0% Delmarva Great Lakes Gulf New England NY-NJ Southeast West The portion of all samples exceeding national health standards remained essentially unchanged at 7% in 2009, 2008, and 2007, from 9% in 2006 (these multiyear graphs include only those beaches with monitoring data reported in each of the four years). Regionally, the Great Lakes had the highest exceedance rate (13%) in 2009, followed by New England (9%), the Gulf Coast (7%), the NY-NJ coast (6%), western states (6%), the southeast (3%), and the Delmarva peninsula (3%). Although it is tempting to expect a correlation between year-to-year changes in water quality and year-to-year changes in closing/advisory days, there are confounding factors that make such correlations unlikely. While year-to-year changes in the percent of monitoring samples that exceed health standards is an objective assessment of water quality, year-to-year changes in the total number of closing/advisory days is subject to differences in programs and practices. For example: Some states or localities take multiple samples at each monitoring station. When making closing/advisory decisions, beach officials might use the average value of all samples taken that day. Using this method, the average value may not exceed the standard even though one (or more) of the multiple samples does. In such a case, the beach would not be closed or put under advisory. While this is an acceptable procedure for making closing/advisory determinations, NRDC includes the results of every reported sample when calculating the percent of all samples that exceed the standard in a given year. Some states or localities will resample a beach after an exceedance before issuing a closing or advisory. If the resample does not exceed the standard, the beach is not put under closing or advisory. Many states or localities preemptively close a beach or issue an advisory without waiting for the results of beachwater monitoring if they suspect that pollution has affected beachwater quality. The reasons for these preemptive actions are highly variable, including heavy rainfall events, known sewage leaks, chemical spills, and high winds and waves. Some states or localities continue monitoring at beaches that are closed for more than six consecutive weeks during the reporting year; NRDC does not include extended or permanent beach closings or advisories when comparing closing/advisory days from year to year, but the monitoring data that are collected at these beaches are included in the percent exceedance analysis. 2 Natural Resources Defense Council Testing the Waters 2010

3 Some states or localities continue monitoring at beaches that have been closed for reasons other than pollution, such as budget cuts or low attendance. While routine monitoring samples continue to be collected and their results reported to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the beach closing days may not be reported. Year-to-year changes in beach monitoring frequency could impact the total number of closing/advisory days, but not the percentage of samples that exceed health standards. For example, increasing routine monitoring from once every two weeks to once a week could decrease the number of closing/advisory days for the same number of events because the duration of many events could go from two weeks to one week. Beach officials in all states continue to use traditional methods approved by the EPA that require about 24 hours to quantify bacterial indicator levels in beachwater samples. In July 2010, a pilot project was launched at several beaches in Orange County, California, to demonstrate the use of qpcr, a rapid method of determining bacterial levels that allows beachwater quality warning decisions to be made on the same day a sample is taken. Traditional methods will be used to analyze the samples alongside qpcr analysis, but the qpcr results will be used to determine whether warnings about beachwater quality will be issued and signs posted at the pilot study beaches. This is the first use of a rapid test method for issuing beachwater quality notifications at coastal beaches in the United States. In Pennsylvania, qpcr is used in the event of a preemptive advisory issued by the Presque Isle Beach manager to confirm within four hours that E. coli concentrations warrant issuing an advisory. 2 Advisories or restrictions based on monitoring data in Pennsylvania, how ever, are deter mined solely by using the standard culture-based method, not by qpcr analysis. Puerto Rico and a number of states, including Alabama, California, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, South Carolina, and Rhode Island, have participated in the EPA s National Epidemiological and Environmental Assessment of Recreational (NEEAR) Water Studies. These studies, which were urged on by an agreement that resulted from an NRDC lawsuit against the EPA for failing to fulfill the terms of the BEACH Act, are being conducted to help gain a better under standing of bacterial indicators, swimming at the beach, and people s health. Beachgoers are interviewed and water samples are collected and analyzed for bacteria using several analysis methods, including rapid testing. In addition to the NEEAR project, several states have conducted their own studies of rapid test methods. California has invested an estimated $3 million in rapid test method investigations, and other states that have conducted or participated in rapid test method research outside of the NEEAR studies include Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and New Jersey. Beachwater quality generally depends on many complex factors, but for some beaches, predictions of beachwater quality based on a few physical measurements of daily conditions can be fairly accurately calculated. Some states have taken advantage of this and have created computer models that rely on data from physical measurements such as rainfall levels, wind speed and direction, tides, wave heights, and currents. These models rapidly prepare predictions of beach water quality and allow beaches to be closed or placed under advisory the day that bacterial levels are expected to be high, rather than 24 hours after high levels of bacteria are present. States using computer models to inform closing and advisory decisions for at least some of their beaches in 2009 were California, Illinois, Indiana, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Other states, including Rhode Island, Michigan, and New Hampshire, are gathering data and investigating the use of beachwater quality computer models for at least some of their beaches. Because the water quality at many beaches is adversely impacted by contaminated stormwater runoff, another, less sophisti cated means of protecting public health is to preemptively close beaches or issue advisories when indicator bacteria levels are expected to be high after rainfall events. Twelve states reported preemptive rainfall closures or advisories at specific beaches in 2009: California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin. Many states report that they have developed standards for issuing pre emptive rainfall advisories based on rainfall intensity or some other rain-related factor for at least some of their eaches. States with quantitative rainfall standards include California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Maine, Massa chu setts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and South Carolina. Rainfall standards are under development in New Hampshire. Some states, including California, Minnesota, Mississippi, Rhode Island, and Washing ton, issue standing advisories warning the public to avoid beachwater contact after heavy rainfall or when storm drains are running. These standing advisories are not reported in the closing and advisory data that the states send the EPA. In North Carolina, standing rainfall advisories take the form of permanent signs posted on either side of 3 Natural Resources Defense Council Testing the Waters 2010

4 storm drain outfalls stating that swimming between the signs is not recommended when there is water flowing through the drain. Major Findings This section provides a national perspective on the major findings of NRDC s Testing the Waters report regarding 2009 beachwater quality, closings and advisories, and the sources of pollution that caused them. For more information on state programs and specific beaches, consult the individual state summaries. Beach Closings/Advisories and Pollution Sources During 2009, U.S. ocean, bay, and Great Lakes beaches had 18,682 days of closings and advisories, 45 extended closings and advisories (more than six but not more than 13 consecutive weeks), and 50 permanent closings and advisories (more than 13 consecutive weeks). Including extended days, the total comes to 22,757 beach closing and advisory days. The number of beach closing and advisory days decreased 8% ( 1,659 days) in 2009 from the previous year (see Figure N 3).The major factors contributing to the decrease in 2009 appear to be decreased rainfall in Hawaii and a reduction in state fund ing that led to decreased monitoring (and therefore decreased monitoring-related beach advisories) in Southern California. Nationwide, the number of beaches monitored at least once a week increased 4% to 2,876 in 2009 from 2,753 in The continued high level of closing advisories is an indication that serious water pollution persists at our nation s coastal, bay, and Great Lakes beaches. Major reasons why officials closed beaches or issued advisories in 2009 were as follows (see Figures N-4 and N-5): 74% (13,801 days) were based on monitoring that detected bacteria levels exceeding beachwater quality standards (an increase from 73% in 2008, 71% in 2007, and 68% in 2006). Figure N-3. Total Closing/Advisory Days, (Excluding Extended and Permanent) Thousands of Closing/Advisory Days Closing/advisory days 2.88 Beaches monitored at least weekly Thousands of Beaches Monitored Because of inconsistencies in monitoring and closing/advisory practices among states and the different levels of data submission over time, it is difficult to make comparisons between states or to assess trends based on the closing/advisory data. 4 Natural Resources Defense Council Testing the Waters 2010

5 21% (3,831 days) were precautionary, issued because of rainfall; at many beaches, stormwater is known to carry pollution to swimming waters. This represents a decrease from 22% in 2008, 25% in 2007, and 33% in 2006 (the latter two being relatively wet years). 2% (412) were due to other causes, such as dredging and algal blooms (unchanged from 2008 and 2007 levels). 1% (265 days) were in response to known pollution events, such as sewage treatment plant failures or breaks in sewage pipes. In other words, in these cases localities did not wait for monitoring results to decide whether to close beaches or issue advisories (no change from 1% in 2008, and down from 3% in 2007 and 2006). Figure N-4. Reported Reasons for Closings/Advisories in % 90% 80% 70% 74% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 21% 10% 0% Preemptive due to rain known to carry pollution to swimming waters 1% In response to known pollution event without relying on monitoring Based on monitoring that detected bacteria levels exceeding standard 2% <1% 2% Other reason Predictive modeling No data Figure N-5. Reported Reasons for Closings/Advisories, Thousands of Closing/Advisory Days A-Monitoring B-Response C-Preemptive Rainfall D-Other E-Modeling Key: (A) Based on monitoring that detected bacteria levels exceeding standards. (B) In response to known pollution event without relying on monitoring. (C) Preemptive due to rain known to carry pollution to swimming waters. (D) Other reason. (E) Real-time, predictive computer modeling. 5 Natural Resources Defense Council Testing the Waters 2010

6 Less than 1% (9) were preemptive due to real-time computer modeling using readily measurable physical parameters such as wind speed and wave height to predict indicator bacterial levels (down from 1% in 2008, the first time NRDC was able to report this reason for beach closings and advisories). Major pollution sources listed as responsible for 2009 beach closings and advisories include the following. The total is greater than 18,682 days and 100% because more than one source contributed to some beach closings and advisories (see Figure N-6). Figure N-6. Sources of Pollution That Caused Closings/Advisories in % 90% 80% 70% 60% 53% 50% 40% 39% 30% 20% 10% 9% 10% 9% 0% Unknown Polluted runoff, stormwater, or preemptive due to rain Sewage spills and overflows Other (excluding wildlife) Wildlife Total exceeds 100 percent because more than one source of contamination was reported for some events. Figure N-7. Sources of Pollution That Caused Closings/Advisories, Thousands of Closing/Advisory Days A-Sewage B-Rain/Runoff/Stormwater C-Unknown D-Other Total days shown are greater than annual totals because more than one pollution source may have contributed to each closing/ advisory. Key: (A) Sewage spills and overflows. (B) Polluted runoff, stormwater, or preemptive due to rain. (C) Unknown. (D) Other reasons (including those with no source information provided). 6 Natural Resources Defense Council Testing the Waters 2010

7 Unknown sources of pollution caused 9,859 closing/advisory days (53%) in 2009, a decrease from 12,631 days (62%) in 2008 and 8,524 days (33%) in Polluted runoff and stormwater caused or contributed to 7,282 closing/advisory days (39%) in 2009, a decrease from 7,324 days (36%) in 2008 and 10,394 days (40%) in Sewage spills and overflows caused or contributed to 1,667 closing/advisory days (9%) in 2009, a decrease from 1,710 days (8%) in 2008, and 4,097 days (16%) in 2007 (includes combined sewer overflows, sanitary sewer overflows, breaks or blockages in sewer lines, and faulty septic systems); Elevated bacteria levels from miscellaneous sources, such as boat discharges or wildlife, accounted for 3,184 closing/ advisory days (17%) in 2009, an increase from 2,137 days (11%) in 2008 and 3,087 days (12%) in More than half were wildlife sources (an increase to 1,704 days in 2009 from 1,588 days in 2008). There was no contamination source information for 388 closing/advisory days. Beachwater Quality For the fifth consecutive year, NRDC used the percentage of all beachwater samples collected in 2009 that exceeded the BEACH Act s single-sample maximum standards for designated beach areas to compare water quality at beaches ringing our nation from the Pacific Northwest to Southern California, from New England to the Florida Keys, and all along the U.S. Great Lakes shoreline. For marine waters, the standard for enterococcus density is 104 per 100 milliliters (ml); for fresh water, the standard is 235 E. coli per 100 ml. For the 2009 beach season, the NRDC data set includes monitoring results for 126,551 samples at 3,333 beaches and beach segments (most state and local officials divide longer beaches into manage able monitoring segments), down from 132,465 samples at 3,601 beaches and beach segments in 2008, 131,977 samples at 3,516 beaches and beach segments in 2007, and 106,417 samples at 3,500 beaches and beach segments in The percent of all samples exceeding national health standards remained generally unchanged at 7% from 2007 through 2009, down from 9% in (Note: to make this four-year comparison, NRDC includes only the 2,655 beaches reported in each of these four years.) In 2009, beaches in Louisiana, Rhode Island, and Illinois had the highest percent of samples exceeding the EPA S singlesample maximum standard for designated beach areas. It is important to note that while a high percent exceedance rate is a clear indication of dirty coastal recrea tional waters, it is not necessarily an indication that the state s beachwater quality monitoring program is deficient or fails to protect public health when beachwater quality is poor. For example, four of the five states with the dirtiest beachwater always or almost always close a beach or issue an advisory when a sample exceeds the standard; that is, they do not wait for the results of a resample or check other conditions first, as some other states do. (Only a few states generally resample before issuing an advisory: Connecticut, New Jersey, and Washington.) Three of the four states with the highest exceedance rates have among the highest percent of Tier 1 beaches, which are monitored more frequently than once a week (Tier 1 beaches are popu lar and/or have known pollution sources in the vicinity of the beach), a practice that is more protective of human health. For the fifth consecutive year, NRDC high lighted beaches exceeding the national daily stan dard more than 25% of the time. In 2009, this list included 162 beaches in 20 states: AL, CA, CT, FL, HI, IL, IN, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NC, NJ, NY, OH, RI, TX, and WI (see Table N-2). Chronic ally high bacteria counts indicate that the beachwater is probably contaminated with human or animal waste. Fifteen beach areas in 7 states (CA, FL, IL, NJ, OH, TX, and WI) made this list in each of the last four years, 2006 through 2009 (see Table N-3). Figure N-8. Percent for All Coastal and Great Lakes States Combined, (Based on 2,655 Beaches Reported in Each of the 4 Years) 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0% 9% % 7% 7% Natural Resources Defense Council Testing the Waters 2010

8 Table N-1. Rank of States by Percentage of Beachwater Samples Exceeding the National Standard in 2009 Rank State Percent Total Samples All Reported Beaches Tier 1 Beaches Percent of Tier 1 Beaches Monitored More Than Once a Week Resample or Other Info needed Before Action? 30 LA 25% % almost never 29 RI 20% 3, % yes 28 IL 16% 4, % no 27 OH 15% 2, % no 26 MI 13% 5, % almost never 25 IN 13% 2, % no 24 ME 11% 1, % yes 23 NY 11% 8, % sometimes 22 MS 10% 1, % yes 21 PA 8% 1, % no 20 CA 8% 20, % no 19 AL 8% 1, % no 18 WI 8% 4, % no 17 MA 7% 8, % no 16 TX 5% 13, % no 15 AK 5% % yes 14 NJ 5% 4, % yes 13 CT 5% 2, % yes 12 MN 5% 1, % no 11 GA 4% % no 10 FL 4% 7, % sometimes 9 WA 4% 3,794 1, % yes 8 SC 4% 1, % sometimes 7 MD 4% 2, % almost never 6 NC 3% 7, % no (at Tier 1 and Tier 2 beaches) 5 HI 3% 8, % sometimes 4 VA 3% 1, % no 3 OR 2% % almost never 2 DE 2% 1, % almost never 1 NH 1% 1, % no 8 Natural Resources Defense Council Testing the Waters 2010

9 Table N-2. Beaches With More Than 25% of Samples Exceeding the EPA s Single-Sample Maximum Standards for Designated Beach Areas in 2009 (Limited to Beaches With at Least 10 Total Samples Reported for the Year) State County Beach Tier Monitoring Frequency Total Samples Percent IN Lake Jeorse Park Beach I 2 5/wk 78 76% CA Los Angeles Avalon Beach-north of GP Pier 1 1/wk 50 72% MI Macomb St. Clair Shores Blossom Heath Beach 1 2/wk % MA Essex Kings (DCR-DUPR) 2 1/wk 24 71% MA Barnstable Cockle Cove Creek 2 1/wk 10 70% MI Macomb St. Clair Shores Memorial Park Beach 1 2/wk % IL Cook Jackson Park Beach (63rd Street Beach) 1 5/wk 76 66% MI Arenac Singing Bridge Beach 1 1/wk 14 64% IN Lake Jeorse Park Beach II 2 5/wk 78 63% CA Orange Poche County Beach 1 2/wk 48 63% HI Oahu Kuli ou ou 2 1/wk 12 58% NY Niagara Krull Park 2 1/wk 30 57% IL Lake North Point Marina North Beach 1 4/wk % RI Washington Saunderstown Yacht Club 2 2/mo 13 54% NY Erie St. Vincent Depaul Beach 2 2/wk 25 52% NJ Ocean Beachwood Beach West (Beachwood) 1 1/wk 47 51% IL Cook Winnetka Elder Park Beach 1 daily 78 50% MI Iosco Tawas City Park 1 1/wk 24 50% CT New London Kiddie s Beach 1 1/wk 22 50% MA Norfolk Smith Beach 2 1/wk 22 50% IL Cook 57th Street Beach 1 5/wk 73 49% CA Mendocino Pudding Creek Beach-Pudding Lagoon 1 1/wk 23 48% FL Taylor Keaton Beach 1 1/wk 17 47% WI Kenosha Eichelman Beach 2 2/wk 48 46% LA St. Mary Cypremort Point State Park 1 1/wk 35 46% CA San Francisco Candlestick Point-Windsurfer Circle 1 1/wk 92 45% MN St. Louis Clyde Avenue Boat Landing Beach 2 1/wk 43 44% MI Macomb HCMA-Metropolitan Beach Metropark 1 2/wk % CA Los Angeles Cabrillo Beach 1 daily 73 44% CA Orange Newport Bay-Newport Blvd Bridge 1 1/wk 30 43% LA Calcasieu South Beach & Rabbit Island 1 1/wk 30 43% LA Cameron Holly Beach 5 1 1/wk 33 42% FL Escambia Bayou Chico 1 1/wk 26 42% LA Cameron Holly Beach 6 1 1/wk 32 41% OH Cuyahoga Villa Angela State Park 1 daily % HI Maui Puamana Beach Co. Park 2 2/yr 10 40% RI Newport Easton s Beach 1 2/wk % CA Los Angeles Santa Monica State Beach-Santa Monica Canyon 1 1/wk 84 39% 9 Natural Resources Defense Council Testing the Waters 2010

10 State County Beach Tier Monitoring Frequency Total Samples Percent CA Los Angeles Avalon Beach-near Busy B Cafe 1 1/wk 44 39% MA Essex Willow Avenue 2 1/wk 13 38% OH Cuyahoga Edgecliff Beach 2 1/wk 13 38% IL Cook Calumet South Beach 1 5/wk 73 38% CA Orange Doheny State Beach-Surf Zone at Outfall 1 3/wk 50 38% FL Manatee Palma Sola South 1 1/wk 29 38% NY Chautauqua Lake Erie State Park Beach 1 4/wk 53 38% OH Cuyahoga Euclid State Park 1 daily % RI Washington Scarborough State Beach North 1 2/wk % NY Monroe Ontario Beach 1 daily % NY Chautauqua Blue Water Beach 3 1/wk 32 38% NY Chautauqua Wright Park East 1 1/wk 32 38% CA Orange Doheny State Beach-North of San Juan Creek 1 3/wk 51 37% ME Knox Goodies Beach 1 1/wk 19 37% TX Nueces Ropes Park 1 1/wk % LA Cameron Rutherford Beach 2 1/wk 33 36% NY Suffolk Tanner Park 1 3/wk 58 36% LA Calcasieu North Beach-Lake Charles 1 1/wk 36 36% NY Erie Lake Erie Beach 1 2/wk 25 36% MD Kent Tolchester Estates Beach 2 2/mo 39 36% NY Chautauqua Sunset Bay Beach Club 3 1/wk 28 36% OH Cuyahoga Arcadia Beach 2 1/wk 14 36% OH Cuyahoga Noble Beach 2 1/wk 14 36% OH Cuyahoga Shoreby Club Beach 2 1/wk 14 36% OH Cuyahoga Sims Beach 2 1/wk 14 36% IL Cook Winnetka Centennial Dog Beach 2 daily 79 35% NJ Ocean Maxson Avenue (Pt Pleasant) 1 1/wk 46 35% LA Cameron Holly Beach 3 1 1/wk 32 34% OH Ashtabula Lakeshore Park 1 4/wk 50 34% IL Cook Rainbow Beach 1 5/wk 74 34% RI Newport Third Beach 1 3/wk % RI Washington Scarborough State Beachsouth 1 2/wk % NY Erie Woodlawn Beach State Park Beach 1 daily 93 33% RI Newport Atlantic Beach Club 1 4/wk 75 33% NJ Ocean River Avenue (Pt Pleasant) 1 1/wk 42 33% NJ Ocean West Beach (Pine Beach) 1 1/wk 42 33% LA Cameron Holly Beach 1 1 1/wk 33 33% NY Chautauqua Point Gratiot Beach 2 1/wk 30 33% MA Essex Gas House 2 1/wk 18 33% NJ Ocean Central (Island Heights) 3 1/wk 18 33% FL Taylor Hagen s Cove 1 1/wk 15 33% 10 Natural Resources Defense Council Testing the Waters 2010

11 State County Beach Tier Monitoring Frequency Total Samples Percent MA Essex Independence Park 2 1/wk 15 33% MA Plymouth A Street Ocean 2 1/wk 15 33% CA Los Angeles Surfrider Beach 1 1/wk 83 33% MI Muskegon Pere Marquette Park 1 1/wk 31 32% NY Chautauqua Town of Hanover Beach 3 1/wk 25 32% OH Erie Crystal Rock 1 3/wk 44 32% OH Erie Edison Creek 1 3/wk 44 32% CA San Francisco Baker Beach, Lobos Creek at Lower Parking Lot 1 1/wk 85 32% CA Los Angeles Avalon Beach-south of GP Pier 1 1/wk 41 32% NY Wayne Pultneyville Mariners Beach 3 1/wk 19 32% MI Muskegon Meinert County Park 1 1/wk 51 31% RI Newport Peabodys Beach 2 2/mo 51 31% LA Cameron Holly Beach 2 1 1/wk 32 31% FL Gulf Monument Beach 1 1/wk 29 31% IL Cook Montrose Beach 1 5/wk 71 31% MI St. Clair Chrysler Park Beach 1 1/wk 81 31% IN Lake Buffington Harbor Beach 2 5/wk 78 31% NY Erie Bennett Beach 2 2/wk 39 31% FL Escambia Bayview Park 1 1/wk 26 31% MA Plymouth XYZ 2 1/wk 13 31% NY Chautauqua Main Street Beach 1 1/wk 23 30% LA Cameron Gulf Breeze 2 1/wk 33 30% CA San Francisco Candlestick Point-Sunnydale Cove 1 1/wk 76 30% MA Barnstable Crocker s Neck 2 1/wk 20 30% MA Essex Grace Oliver 2 1/wk 20 30% NJ Monmouth Wreck Pond Outfall (Spring Lake) 1 1/wk 20 30% NJ Ocean Anglesea Avenue (Ocean Gate) 1 1/wk 37 30% AL Baldwin Mary Ann Nelson Beach 3 2/mo 27 30% FL Pasco Oelsner Park Beach 1 1/wk 27 30% LA Jefferson Grand Isle State Park 4 1 1/wk 27 30% FL Miami-Dade Sunny Isles Beach-Pier Park 1 1/wk 34 29% LA Cameron Long Beach 2 1/wk 34 29% NY Westchester Surf Club 1 1/wk 17 29% NY Nassau Crescent Beach 2 1/wk % MA Essex Kings (DCR-DUPR) 2 1/wk 24 29% MI Alcona Greenbush Township 1 1/wk 24 29% NY Erie Hamburg Bathing Beach 1 2/wk 24 29% WI Door Anclam Park Beach 2 2/wk 38 29% MA Suffolk Yerrill 2 1/wk 56 29% WI Milwaukee South Shore Beach 1 daily 56 29% CA Los Angeles Alamitos Bay Beach-B /wk 21 29% 11 Natural Resources Defense Council Testing the Waters 2010

12 State County Beach Tier Monitoring Frequency Total Samples Percent MI Alcona Black River Public Access 1 1/wk 21 29% HI Oahu Ke ehi Lagoon 2 1/wk 14 29% OH Cuyahoga Moss Point Beach 2 1/wk 14 29% CA San Mateo Pillar Point 1 1/wk 50 28% TX Nueces Poenisch Park 1 1/wk % MA Barnstable Atlantic Avenue 2 1/wk 18 28% ME Waldo Ducktrap River 1 2/wk 18 28% NY Monroe Hamlin Beach State Park-Area 3 1 1/wk 40 28% OH Erie Sherod Creek 1 3/wk 44 27% FL Sarasota Ringling Causeway 1 1/wk 33 27% LA Cameron Constance Beach 2 1/wk 33 27% LA Cameron Little Florida 2 1/wk 33 27% ME York Riverside (Ogunquit) 1 1/wk 22 27% NY Suffolk South Jamesport Beach 3 2/mo 11 27% RI Newport Marine Avenue Beach 3 1/wk 48 27% FL Monroe Coco Plum Beach 1 1/wk 26 27% FL Okaloosa Garniers 1 1/wk 26 27% MA Essex Dane Street 2 1/wk 15 27% MA Essex Sandy Point 2 1/wk 15 27% MA Norfolk Chikatawbot 2 1/wk 15 27% MA Norfolk Delano Ave. 2 1/wk 15 27% MD Cecil Red Point Beach 3 1/mo 15 27% MI Muskegon P.J. Hoffmaster State Park-Campground 1 1/wk 15 27% MI Muskegon P.J. Hoffmaster State Park-Public Beach Area 1 1/wk 15 27% OH Lorain Century Beach 1 4/wk 49 27% MA Norfolk Wollaston (DCR-DUPR) 1 daily 83 27% LA Cameron Holly Beach 4 1 1/wk 34 26% OH Cuyahoga Edgewater State Park 1 daily % ME York Cape Neddick Beach 1 1/wk 19 26% ME York York Harbor Beach 1 1/wk 19 26% NC Currituck Dock at the end of SR /mo 19 26% NC Currituck Park on Woodhouse Dr. Grandy, NC 3 2/mo 19 26% NC Onslow New River, Wilson Park 3 2/mo 19 26% NY Suffolk East Islip Beach 2 3/wk 65 26% CA Los Angeles Colorado Lagoon-Center 1 1/wk 23 26% CA Ventura Port Hueneme Beach Park 1 1/wk 23 26% NC Hyde Swanquarter Bay-end of docks on SR /mo 23 26% NY Chautauqua Sheridan Bay Park 3 1/wk 23 26% IL Cook South Shore 1 5/wk 73 26% CA San Mateo Aquatic Park 1 1/wk 39 26% NJ Ocean Money Island (Dover) 1 1/wk 39 26% OH Erie Vermilion River West 1 3/wk 43 26% 12 Natural Resources Defense Council Testing the Waters 2010

13 Table N-3. Repeat Offenders: 15 Beaches With More Than 25 Percent of Samples Exceeding the EPA s Single-Sample Maximum Standards for Designated Beach Areas, Each Year, (Alphabetical by State, County, and Beach) State County Beach Tier Monitoring Frequency Potential pollution sources (reported by EPA) CA Los Angeles Avalon Beach-near Busy B Cafe 1 1/wk Unknown CA Los Angeles Avalon Beach-north of GP Pier 1 1/wk Unknown CA Los Angeles Avalon Beach-south of GP Pier 1 1/wk Unknown CA Los Angeles Cabrillo Beach 1 Daily Unknown CA CA Los Angeles Orange Santa Monica State Beach-Santa Monica Canyon Doheny State Beach-North of San Juan Creek 1 1/wk Unknown 1 3/wk Unknown CA Orange Doheny State Beach-Surf Zone at Outfall 1 3/wk Unknown CA Orange Newport Bay-Newport Blvd Bridge 1 1/wk Unknown FL Taylor Keaton Beach 1 1/wk Boats, Runoff, Wildlife, Stormwater, Other, Unknown IL Lake North Point Marina North Beach 1 4/wk Unknown NJ Ocean Beachwood Beach West 1 1/wk None Listed OH Cuyahoga Villa Angela St. Pk. 1 Daily None Listed TX Nueces Ropes Park 1 1/wk Combined Sewer Overflow, Stormwater, Other, Unknown WI Kenosha Eichelman 2 2/wk Stormwater, Wildlife WI Milwaukee South Shore 1 Daily Unknown Notes 1 NRDC reports closing/advisory days for events lasting six consecutive weeks or less. Extended events (lasting between 7 and 13 consecutive weeks) and permanent events (lasting more than 13 consecutive weeks) are reported separately and are not included in this total. 2 Doug Range, Erie County Department of Health, personal communication, June Natural Resources Defense Council Testing the Waters 2010