ro X \ ^OST/>% Q .SB ? EPA's BEACH Report: Indiana 2010 Swimming Season May 2011 Introduction The BEACH Act of 2000 requires that coastal and Great Lakes states and territories report to EPA on beach monitoring and notification data for their coastal recreation waters. The BEACH Act defines coastal recreation waters as the Great Lakes and coastal waters (including coastal estuaries) that states, territories, and authorized tribes officially recognize or designate for swimming, bathing, surfing, or similar activities in the water. This fact sheet summarizes beach monitoring and notification data submitted to EPA by the State of Indiana for the 2010 swimming season. Figure 1. Indiana coastal counties. La Porte % \ Table 1. Breakdown of monitored and unmonitored coastal beaches by county for 2010. County Total Beaches Monitored Not Monitored LA PORTE 8 8 0 LAKE 10 10 0 PORTER 6 6 0 TOTALS 24 24 0 ------- 2010 Summary Results How many beaches had notification actions? When water quality standards are exceeded at a particular beach, Indiana requires beach managers to post an advisory or closure. An advisory warns people that there is an increased health risk associated with entering the water and a closure warns people to completely avoid contact with the water. All 24 monitored beaches had at least one advisory issued during the 2010 swimming season. About 80 percent of Indiana's notification actions lasted one day or less. Figure 2 presents a full breakdown of notification actions. What percentage of days were beaches under a notification action? In 2010, about 18 percent of Indiana's total beach days were under an advisory or closing (Figure 3). How do 2010 results compare to previous years? Table 2 compares 2010 notification action data with monitored beach data from previous years. What pollution sources possibly affect investigated monitored beaches? Indiana's beaches were not investigated for possible pollution sources in 2010. For More Information For general information about beaches: www.epa.gov/beaches/ For information about beaches in Indiana: www.in.gov/idem/4151.htm Figure 2: Beach notification actions by duration. 140^ 134 120- <210°- ~ 80- o $ 60- o No. 0 1 30 34 20- o ¦ 1 5 1 I I I I I 1 2 3-7 8-30 >30 Duration of Actions (days) Figure 3: Beach days wi and without notification actions. Beach days with an action: 438 (17.5%) Table 2. Beach notification actions, 2008-2010. 2008 2009 2010 Number of monitored beaches 21 21 24 Number of beaches affected by notification actions 21 21 24 Percentage of beaches affected by notification actions 100% 100% 100% Percentage of beach days affected by notification actions 15% 17% 18% Beach days with no action: 2,072 7 (82.5%) ------- |