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EPA's BEACH Report:
Delaware 2006 Swimming Season
June 2007
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 Delaware for the 2006 swimming
season.
Figure 1. Delaware coastal counties with
2006 monitored beach data.
Table 1. Breakdown of monitored and
unmonitored coastal beaches by
county.

Total

Not
County
Beaches
Monitored
Monitored
SUSSEX
22
22
0
TOTALS
22
22
0

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2006 Summary Results
How many beaches had notification
actions?
When monitoring of water at beaches
shows that levels of certain bacteria exceed
standards, Delaware's beach managers
either post a beach advisory, warning
people of possible risks of swimming, or
formally notify the public that the beach is
closed. None of the 22 coastal beaches that
were monitored in 2006 had an advisory
during the 2006 season (Figure 2).
How many notification actions were
reported and how long were they?
No beach notification actions were reported
in the 2006 swimming season. Figure 3
presents breakdowns of action durations.
What percentage of days were beaches
under a notification action?
For Delaware's 2006 swimming season,
EPA determined there were a total of
2,772 beach days associated with the
22 monitored beaches. No actions were
reported on any of those days (Figure 4).
How do 2006 results compare to
previous years?
Beginning in 2003, states are required to
submit data to EPA under the BEACH Act
for beaches which are in coastal and Great
Lakes waters. Table 2 compares 2006 data
with data reported in previous years.
Figure 2: Monitored
Beaches
with and
without
notification
actions.
Monitored
beaches with
actions: 0
(0%)
Figure 3: Beach notification actions by duration.

1

0.8
in

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tj
0.6
<

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0.4
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0.2

0
o
1 -2
3-7	8-30
Duration of Actions (days)
o
> 30
Figure 4:
For More Information
For general information about beaches:
www.epa.gov/beaches/
For information about beaches in Delaware:
www.dnrec.state.de.us/dnreceis/
DIV_Water/ Apps/RecWater/ASP/
RecWaterPublic.asp
Table 2. Beach notification actions,
2004-2006.
Number of
monitored
beaches
12
9
22
Number of
beaches affected
by notification
actions
3
0
0
Percentage of
beaches affected
by notification
actions
25%
0%
0%
j
Beach days with
no action:
2,772
(100%)
Beach days
with an action
Beach days with
and without
notification
actions.

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