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ERA'S BEACH Report:
Illinois 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 Illinois for the 2006 swimming
season.
Figure 1. Illinois coastal counties with 2006
monitored beach data.
Table 1. Breakdown of monitored and
unmonitored coastal beaches by
county.
Total	Not
County	Beaches Monitored Monitored
COOK	50	50	0
LAKE	17	17	0
TOTALS	67	67	0
Lake
Cook

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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, Illinois' 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 67 coastal beaches that were
monitored in 2006, 54, or 81 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 555 beach notification actions
were reported in the 2006 swimming
season. Actions were of relatively short
duration, however. Figure 3 presents
breakdowns of action durations.
What percentage of days were beaches
under a notification action?
For Illinois's 2006 swimming season,
EPA determined there were a total of
6,213 beach days associated with the 67
monitored beaches. Actions were reported
on 777 of those days or about 13 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
Figure 3: Beach notification actions by duration.

600
in
500
c

o
400
o

<
300
o

o
200
z


100

0
549
1 -2
3-7
8-30
>30
Figure 4: Beach days with
and without
notification
actions.
Beach days
with an action:
777
(13%)
Beach days with
no action
5,436
(87%)
For More Information
For general information about beaches:
www.epa.gov/beaches/
For information about beaches in Illinois:
www.earth911 .org/waterquality/
default.asp?cluster=17
Table 2. Beach notification actions,
2004-2006.

2004
2005
2006
Number of
monitored
beaches
53
73
67
Number of
beaches affected
by notification
actions
46
49
54
Percentage of
beaches affected
by notification
actions
87%
67%
81%

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