a EPA's BEACH Report:
Mississippi 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 Mississippi for the 2006 swimming
season.
Figure 1. Mississippi coastal counties with
2006 monitored beach data.
Table
Total	Not
County	Beaches Monitored Monitored
HANCOCK
3
3
0
HARRISON
12
12
0
JACKSON
6
6
0
TOTALS
21
21
0
Hancock
1. Breakdown of monitored and
unmonitored coastal beaches by
county.
EPAxxx-X-xx-xxx

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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, Mississippi's beach managers
post a beach advisory, warning people
of the possible risks of swimming, or
formally notify the public that the beach is
closed. Of the 21 coastal beaches that were
monitored in 2006, 6, or 29 percent, had at
least one advisory during the 2006 season
(Figure 2).
How many notification actions were
reported and how long were they?
A total of 6 beach notification actions were
reported in the 2006 swimming season. All
actions lasted longer than 30 days. Figure 3
presents breakdowns of action durations.
What percentage of days were beaches
under a notification action?
For Mississippi's 2006 swimming season,
EPA determined there were a total of
696 beach days associated with the 21
monitored beaches. Actions were reported
on 408 of those days or about 59 percent of
the time (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: 6
(29%)
Monitored
beaches without
actions: 15
(71%)
Figure 3: Beach notification actions by duration.
7
6
c o
o
t5 4
<
0	3
1	2
1
0
1-2	3-7	8-30
Duration of Actions (days)
> 30
Figure 4:
For More Information
For general information about beaches:
www.epa.gov/beaches/
For information about beaches in
Mississippi:
www.usm.edu/gcrl/msbeach/index.cgi
Table 2. Beach notification actions,
2004-2006.

2004
2005
2006
Number of
monitored
beaches
21
21
21
Number of
beaches affected
by notification
actions
1
7
6
Percentage of
beaches affected
by notification
actions
5%
33%
29%
Beach days
with no action
288
\ (41%)
Beach days
with an action
408
(59%)
Beach days with
and without
notification
actions.

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