NOAA Technical Memorandum GLERL-138

GREAT LAKES BEACH HEALTH RESEARCH NEEDS:

WORKSHOP SUMMARY 

Great Lakes Beach Association in cooperation with

NOAA, Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory and the

 Michigan Sea Grant Program

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

U.S. Geological Survey

Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory

Ann Arbor, Michigan

October 2006

UNITED STATES

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Carlos M. Gutierrez

Secretary

NATIONAL OCEANIC AND

ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION

Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr.

Administrator


NOTICE

Mention of a commercial company or product does not constitute an endorsement 

by the NOAA. Use of information from this publication concerning proprietary 

products or the tests of such products for publicity or advertising purposes is not 

authorized. This is GLERL Contribution No. 1408.

This publication is available as a PDF file and can be downloaded from GLERL’s 

web site: www.glerl.noaa.gov. Hard copies can be requested from GLERL, 

Information Services, 2205 Commonwealth Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI 48105.

pubs.glerl@noaa.gov.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................5

METHODS ...................................................................................................................................5

RESULTS ....................................................................................................................................6

NEXT STEPS .............................................................................................................................10

APPENDIX A: Breakout Group Results. Section A: Forecasting............................................11

APPENDIX B: Priorities..........................................................................................................19

APPENDIX C: Actions Addressing Research Needs...............................................................22

APPENDIX D: List of Participants..........................................................................................25



Report on Great Lakes Beach Health Research Needs:

Workshop Summary

INTRODUCTION 

The Great Lakes coastline is the largest in the continental United States, containing hundreds of 

beaches and providing recreational opportunities for millions of visitors, thus making it a vital 

part of the Midwest economy. Too often the health of these beaches is compromised by water 

quality degradation particularly from the introduction of sewage and accompanying pathogens. 

These events, whether chronic or episodic, not only reduce the quality of recreation but threaten 

human health. Public officials responsible for protecting natural resources and visitor health 

seek ways to remediate these problems and to communicate any health threats in a timely 

manner. Increasingly sophisticated scientific information is required to provide solutions to these 

problems not only for the Great Lakes but along coastlines worldwide.

Beach managers throughout the Great Lakes basin requested a dialogue with scientists to 

begin to address these problems and create opportunities for improvement. In response, the 

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

(NOAA), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) co-sponsored a Beach 

Health Research Workshop in the fall of 2005. The purpose of the workshop was to listen 

to the needs and concerns of beach managers and other stakeholders and to define research 

priorities and strategies for addressing recreational water quality issues in the Great Lakes. This 

report describes the results of the workshop, actions currently being taken to address the needs 

identified by stakeholders, and strategies to help guide future research.

METHODS

The workshop was held on November 4, 2005 in Green Bay, WI, in conjunction with the State 

of Lake Michigan and Great Lakes Beach Association Conference. The Overarching Workshop 

Question was: How can EPA, NOAA, and USGS research programs help state and local 

agencies meet their recreational water quality goals, related specifically to beach closures?

Participants had the option of selecting one of the following breakout groups: “Forecasting,” 

“Monitoring and Assessment,” and “Managing Public Health Issues.” Each group was facilitated 

and included at least one scientist with relevant expertise. The groups were asked to answer the 

following six questions within the context of their theme:

1. What are your data, information, and research needs relative to improving your ability to 

reduce the risks to human health in recreational uses of beaches?

2. If we could develop tools to forecast water quality on beaches:

a. What are the preferred time scales?

b. What are the preferred space scales?

3. Is there a need for training?

4. How can we improve our communication with beach managers?

5. Are there emerging issues we should begin addressing?


Break out group discussions lasted approximately two hours. The groups then reconvened 

and briefly presented their findings to the entire audience. The floor was then opened for group 

discussion, followed by a ranking exercise to allow participants to prioritize what they deemed 

to be the three top beach health research needs (see Appendix A for detailed breakout group 

responses to these questions).

RESULTS

The workshop provided participants with an opportunity to inform federal agencies of their 

research needs as well as the information, data, and tools they need to more effectively manage 

recreational water quality and beach health issues. The highest priorities identified among the 

three breakout groups in response to the workshop questions are listed below, (see Appendix 

B for a more detailed list of priorities), followed by the actions being taken to respond to the 

identified research needs. A table of these actions can be found in Appendix C.

Question 1: What are your data, information, and research needs relative to improve your 

ability to reduce risks to human health in recreational uses of beaches?

Question 2: If we could develop tools:

a. What are the preferred time scales?

b. What are the preferred space scales?

Research Need:

Rapid test methods, predictive models, and real-time data for prediction of beach closures.

Currently, the most cost-effective methods for counting fecal indicator bacteria take 18-24 hours. 

During this period, indicator concentrations may change dramatically, and beach managers end 

up using the previous day’s results to evaluate current beach conditions. Rapid test methods are 

needed to more accurately reflect the current indicator levels. In addition, there is a great need 

for real-time data on wind, precipitation, water temperature, and wave height at multiple spatial 

scales for the development of models to predict beach closures and to determine the disease 

potential of swimming waters. Real-time data will enable beach managers to more accurately 

predict beach conditions and potential beach closures. 

Actions being taken to address Research Need:

•	 Rapid test methods for measuring beach water quality are currently being evaluated through 

the USEPA/CDC National Epidemiological Environmental Assessment of Recreational 

(NEEAR) Waters Study. 

•	 USGS is conducting Rapid Test Using QPCR during beach monitoring program to provide 

nowcasting beach data. 

•	 NOAA and USGS are developing forecasting models that predict beach closures. 

•	 Soil and runoff input of fecal bacteria are being characterized in coastal streams and 

waterways by USGS. 


•	 Increased accessibility to water temperature data is being provided by NOAA. The 

BeachCast website provides Great Lakes beach goers with access to information on beach 

conditions, including health advisories, water temperature, wave heights, and monitoring 

data. 

•	 USEPA has developed GIS maps of Great Lakes tributaries, has the most up-to-date 

hydrological GIS data from USGS, and has generated maps for many of the Great Lakes 

tributaries for a variety of purposes within USEPA. This mapping can be done to support the 

GLBA upon request. 

•	 USEPA has all of the storm water outfall locations that the States have entered into the 

Permit Compliance System (PCS) national database. A subset of these data, CSO, has been 

previously mapped for the Great Lakes watershed. However, because the PCS database is 

regularly updated by the states, it would be prudent to conduct a new mapping effort using 

the most updated outfall locations should the need arise. 

Research Need:

Source tracking and nonpoint source contamination.

Beach managers need reliable methods to determine the origins of nonpoint-source contaminants 

in order to reduce those sources and maintain a healthy beach. Sources of fecal contamination 

in recreational waters are often unknown and/or of nonpoint origins. Identifying and reducing 

the sources of fecal contamination to a particular beach is often hindered by the presence of 

multiple and diffuse sources, natural variability in bacterial indicator concentrations over space 

and time, and the dynamic currents, weather patterns, and natural processes that affect these 

concentrations.

Action being taken to address Research Need:

•	 Source and fate studies are being conducted by USGS, EPA, and NOAA via the Center of 

Excellence for Great Lakes and Human Health research team at Michigan State University 

to identify non-fecal, non-point indicator bacteria sources. Background levels of indicator 

bacteria and non-fecal sources are being identified. 

Research Need:

Epidemiology and pathogens.

Recreational waters are seldom monitored for pathogens. Fecal indicator bacteria, however, do 

not have the same transport and survival properties as all pathogens, especially protozoan and 

viral pathogens. Beach managers desire data on the types of pathogens present, their relation 

to indicator concentrations, and options for other indicators that may be better correlated with 

pathogens and potential bather illness at their beaches. In particular, links between pathogens and 

indicators and their contribution to disease need to be identified. Development of methods that 

discriminate between human and animal nonpoint-source fecal contamination are also needed to 

help identify risks associated with contaminated recreational waters. 


Action being taken to address Research Need:

•	 Studies of new pathogen indicators are being conducted through the NEEAR Waters Study 

as required by the BEACH Act. Based on the results of the NEEAR Waters Study, EPA will 

develop new ambient water quality criteria for coastal and Great Lakes waters. These criteria 

will take advantage of the new rapid indicator methodology and advanced state of the science 

of health implications from recreational waters.

Question 3: Is there a need for training?

Research Need:

Training and standardized survey design and test methods.

Training is high on the list of needs for workshop participants. Beach managers want 

standardized survey designs and sampling methods, as well as training on how to develop and 

run predictive models, operate databases, calibrate and maintain instruments, and collect and 

manage data. Local training sessions, on-line training or videos would reach a larger number of 

beach managers. 

Action being taken to address Research Need:

•	 A BEACH 101 class will be held annually at the GLBA workshops. The class will provide 

information about resources and the various beach management tools that are available. 

•	 USEPA is taking the lead on development of a standardized sanitary survey for use by 

all Great Lakes beach managers for identification of contamination sources impacting 

beaches. While this action will ideally lead to the implementation of remediation measures 

to reduce beach closures, the key is to provide the information to the public so beachgoers 

can make educated decisions about when and where to swim. This action also addresses the 

Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Coastal Health Strategy Team recommendation for a 

standardized sanitary survey.

•	 USGS and USEPA are developing a training video on the use of predictive models of high 

bacteria levels to better inform the public of the status of beach water quality. The video will 

cover several different types of predictive models and will train beach management personnel 

on how to collect predictive modeling data. 

•	 A video is being developed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to train 

individuals on how to conduct water quality sampling at beaches. The video will be posted 

on the University of Wisconsin’s website.

Question 4: How can we improve our communication with beach managers?

Research Need:

Better communication, data management, coordination, and sharing among agencies.


Communication among local, state, and federal agencies is critical, especially among local beach 

managers and federal scientists/researchers. Development of a beach health website to help meet 

these communication needs would be very useful. Data should be updated more frequently and 

should be standardized among agencies. Much of the important data on water temperature and 

weather conditions is available at the federal level and needs to be more easily accessible at 

state and local levels and updated frequently. Information is also needed on storm water outfalls 

that pose risks to humans as well as readily accessible information on combined sewer overflow 

events. The development of a multi-agency regional data network was discussed as a potential 

solution to these problems. Informing the public and the media on beach health issues was also 

identified as a need. It is important that beach goers understand why a beach is closed, what the 

advisories mean, how their health might be affected, and what they can do to help protect beach 

water quality.

Action being taken to address Research Need:

•	 Beach management workshops are held annually by the GLBA at various locations around 

the Great Lakes. The 6th annual GLBA workshop will be held in Niagara Falls, New York, 

October 10-13, 2006, in conjunction with the National Beach Conference. USEPA holds a 

national beach conference every 2 – 3 years. 

•	 Several Great Lakes states hold beach management workshops and promote conferences and 

newsletters via GLBA list-serve and USEPA’s BEACH Watch web site. 

•	 The BEACHNET, currently maintained by the Great Lakes commission, includes an email 

discussion list that seeks to facilitate communication among individuals interested in the 

improvement of recreational beach water quality in the Great Lakes basin. 

•	 USEPA’s quarterly Beach Currents Newsletter is posted on USEPA’s BEACH Watch website. 

List serves can lead to improved communication with beach management. 

•	 NOAA’s Center of Excellence for Great Lakes and Human Health as well as several states 

have developed beach health outreach products with advice for beach goers on how to help 

keep beach water clean to reduce the risk of contracting illness at the beach.

Question 5: Are there emerging issues we should begin addressing?

Discussion of emerging issues included studying diseases in animals and how they intersect 

with water to create new pathways of exposure to humans, looking at emerging nuisances such 

as avian influenza and pandemic flu, and identifying emerging drivers of public health issues. 

It was also suggested that we think about how to best gather health data so people can register 

their information if they think they’ve been affected by water borne disease. Preparing for the 

potential transition from E. coli to enterococci as indicator bacteria was also discussed. 

Our intention is to begin addressing and prioritizing emerging issues during future steering 

committee meetings.
10

NEXT STEPS

1. Provide an update of accomplishments and strategy for moving forward at the joint National 

Beach Conference/Great Lakes Beach Association Conference that will be held in Niagara 

Falls, New York, October 11-13, 2006. 

2. Form a steering committee that includes federal, state, and local agencies and public health 

officials to develop a framework for implementation of research strategies at both a Great 

Lakes (regional) and national scale. A consensus-based approach will be used to design a 

research strategy and implement scientific studies to address the high-priority beach research 

issues that were identified at the workshop.

3. Schedule a short meeting with the steering committee during the National Beach Conference 

to discuss direction and next steps.
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APPENDIX A

Breakout Group Results

Section A: FORECASTING

(1) Data, Information and Research Needs for Improving Ability to Reduce Risks to Human 

Health in Recreational Uses of Beaches.

Equipment

•	 Need for equipment at local/county level to measure wave height, turbidity, temperature and 

wind.

Data

•	 Need real time local data on wave height.

•	 Need real time local rainfall data taken closer to beach areas.

•	 Rapid method indicator as a part of the model available. 

•	 Increase resolution of spectrometry data; what we have now is not detailed enough. 

•	 Need detailed uniform, consistent wind data. Better data management coordination between 

agencies.

•	 Increase accessibility to water temperature data; it is very difficult to locate this data on 

current website.

•	 Update data more frequently; this is especially true for precipitation data. 

•	 Develop regional data network. Need a regional understanding of the scale/resolution of data 

needed - discussion among states for equipment needs.

Maps

•	 Develop GIS maps for all the tributaries to build better research models.

•	 Longitude/ Latitude information for tributaries is important.

•	 Need upstream information.

•	 Information must be available on a website.

Storm Water

•	 Storm water upstream data needed.

•	 Need information regarding outfalls.

•	 Identify which storm water outfalls pose risks to humans. 

•	 Provide access to sewer maps and storm water maps. Need more coordination between 

agencies in the distribution of this information.

•	 Post information regarding combined sewer overflow (CSO) events online so that it is more 

accessible. 

•	 Need more information about tiled fields. Currently there is a shortage of data on what can be 

carried from tiled field to the lake.

Pathogens

•	 Develop land use pathogen leaks - agriculture, CSOs, leaky sewers.

•	 E-coli modeling - need to be able to differentiate between harmful pathogens and benign 

ones.
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•	 Need better indicators for fecal contaminants - which pathogens are doing what?

•	 Higher resolution for pathogen data.

•	 Need a study/model that leads forecasting to illness - models to predict pathogens and illness.

•	 Capture information regarding illnesses in the community.

•	 Need tools and funding to better identify sources of high indicator levels. 

•	 Need scientific models to track the sources. 

•	 Develop better set of tools for tracers in the natural environment - we have tracers in smaller 

venues and in the lab, but now moving those tracers to the field to link the whole issue of 

transport. 

•	 Currently, need is related to managing sources – not focused on identifying best management 

practices applied to reducing harmful pathogens - i.e. suspended solids - need more 

monitoring of this sort.

(2) Time and Space Scales for Better Research and Monitoring

Space Scales

•	 Look beyond geo-political boundaries. Need a system that maps beaches based on their 

physical and biological boundaries. 

•	 Consider multiple space scales – watershed, shoreline, beach

•	 Incorporate individual beach factors into spatial models as beaches differ greatly not only in 

their physical properties, but also by the manner in which they are groomed.

•	 Include sewer systems in spatial models.

•	 Need consistent wind, wave and precipitation data from all federal agencies.

•	 Use graphics for spatial models to help city planners understand beach closure events relative 

to sewer systems.

Time Scales

•	 Need finer time resolution for hourly models coupled with an extensive public education 

campaign to explain significance of fluctuating beach closures.

•	 Train beach managers to help communicate hourly sampling procedures and significance to 

public so as not to lose their confidence.

•	 Develop a forecasting system that assesses a probability as to whether or not a beach closure 

will occur the next day. Probability attached to future events.

•	 Need hourly data for open lake systems. 

•	 Investigate the dynamics of morning/afternoon sampling.

•	 Develop sampling criteria that differ based on 48 hour forecast information. Higher 

probability of beach closure would require more thorough sampling; and vice versa for lower 

probabilities. 

(3) Training

Government

•	 Train city employees using continuing education credits as a means to encourage them.

•	 Decision making organizations need to understand implications of their actions on the 

ground. Training for higher up people in the government, like regional directors, about issues 

of beach closures.
13

•	 Educate public and government about the issues using local town meetings as a forum to 

bring them up.

Public Training

•	 Educate the public by developing strong outreach products.

•	 Create awareness on how to be responsible beach goers.

•	 Use Sea Grant Extension agents to aid public in understanding beach closure issues.

Communication Networks

•	 Establish two way communication network between local beach managers and federal 

scientists/researchers.

•	 Establish network for beach managers to continue discussion on emerging technologies, new 

training devices, etc.

•	 Develop better web tools to maintain open communication lines in the region.

(4) Improving Communication with Beach Management

•	 Develop stronger federal outreach partnerships and presence in the New York region (Erie 

and Ontario).

(5) Emerging Issues

•	 Adaptive system to predict impact of catastrophic release.

•	 Harmful algal bloom predictions.

•	 Impacts of exotics on human health.

•	 Identify emerging drivers of public health issues. Think about how to deal with gathering 

health data so people can register their information if they think they’ve been affected by 

water borne disease.

•	 Increase research in genetics and in information regarding mutations.

Genetic change in E. coli. 

Section B: MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT

(1) Data, Information and Research Needs for Improving Ability to Reduce Risks to Human 

Health in Recreational Uses of Beaches.

Data

•	 Develop rapid test methods and obtain real time data for determining disease potential of 

swimming waters.

•	 Develop a multi-agency database so critical data is accessible at state and local level.

•	 Need to relate wastewater discharge limits to ambient water criteria.

•	 Need scientific data to address requests for dilutions by dischargers.

Pathogens and Indicators Information

•	 Identify links between pathogens and indicators and determine their contribution to disease.
14

	 - Need short tests that will provide timely results

•	 Assess recreational waters to determine what we need to look at beyond indicators.

•	 Identify sources of disease, indicators, or other contaminants (e.g. beach sand, chemicals, 

etc.).

	 - Sanitary surveys.

	 - Simple systems for monitoring environmental data (e.g. rain events).

	 - Determine contribution of source to disease and health risk

	 - Differentiate between human and non-human sources.

	 - Emphasis on how to control pollution source.

•	 Develop new forecasting model by linking current EPA epidemiological study to 

environmental variables (e.g. wind, turbidity, wave height, rainfall, etc.); link forecasting 

models with human health disease risk.

Research and Training

•	 Expand Great Lakes research to include inland lakes and non-coastal (river) beaches.

	 - Broaden EPA directives to include non-coastal beaches (not just Great Lakes).

•	 Extend spatial coverage of research.

	 - Determine how to relate studies on one lake to other lakes or other parts of the same lake

 or beach.

•	 Develop and standardize training tools at local levels.

	 - Develop a sanitary survey training tool box.

(2) Time and Space Scales for Better Research and Monitoring

Time Scales

•	 Need real time data, especially peak swimming time.

•	 Develop a dynamic system that can be updated throughout the day as conditions change.

•	 Inform the public via radio, TV, and internet; survey indicated that the public wants to know 

the day before if beaches will be closed.

•	 We have now-casting but need to be able to forecast closures.

	 - What are the forcing factors and can we predict what the indicators and pathogens would

 be?

	 - Need better instrumentation to measure forcing factors (e.g. buoy systems, turbidity

 measurements) and standard protocols.

Space Scales

•	 Determine whether models can be applied to all beaches.

•	 Different issues on different lakes.

•	 Can models be applied at large spatial scales? Local conditions can be very different.

Other

•	 Important to understand the data we have and to link these data back to epidemiology if 

possible and then build the tools.
15

(3) Training

Training Beach Management

•	 Provide managers with a good working knowledge of available data, options, and 

implications.

•	 Researchers should train managers and public health officials to:

	 - Run models and operate databases.

	 - Calibrate and maintain instruments.

	 - Collect and manage data.

•	 A website may be useful for this training.

Public Training

•	 Public outreach and education should also be addressed.

(4) Improving Communication with Beach Management

Communication Strategies

•	 Provide information in a form that is understandable to managers, administrators and 

decision makers.

•	 Use list serves and blogs.

Conferences and Workshops

•	 Hold one regional conference/listening session per year after beach season.

•	 Include wastewater operators and associations in next conference and consider them in our 

decisions; this should happen at higher management level.

•	 Request the Wastewater Industry to help fund a joint workshop; wastewater organization has 

a chapter in each of 8 Great Lakes states.

•	 Write a proposal to fund a workshop that would include beach managers, public health 

officials, and the Wastewater Industry.

•	 Hold conferences at the local level as often as necessary (generally more than once per year).

(5) Emerging Issues

Legacy Act Data (States)

•	 Gather, assemble, and analyze data (some of the data goes back many years, e.g. Milwaukee, 

some less).

Address Changing Standards for Indicators. 

•	 When should they begin looking at the transition from Enterococci as the indicator instead of 

E. coli? 

•	 What are we doing now to move in this direction? 

•	 The change to Enterococci as the indicator is imminent.
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Section C: MANAGING PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES

(1) Data, Information and Research Needs for Improving Ability to Reduce Risks to Human 

Health in Recreational Uses of Beaches.

Sanitary Surveys

•	 Need to obtain good sanitary survey data to find out what the contamination sources are at 

beaches and use that knowledge to reduce beach closures/advisories. 

•	 Need a standardized survey tool that’s flexible and takes a holistic watershed approach.

•	 Need sanitary survey guidelines/forms for consistent assessment which would enable us to 

conduct trend analyses. 

Heath Information

•	 Determine health significance from the contamination sources.

•	 Conduct disease surveillance in communities to recognize illness occurrence.

(2) Time and Space Scales for Effective Communication 

Public Outreach

•	 Develop a plan to communicate risks to the public.

•	 Explain why beaches are closed. 

•	 Determine how to communicate the problem (due to wastewater, gulls, etc.).

•	 Need cooperation at the local level. 

Time-relevant data

•	 Provide the public with beach water quality information quickly (e.g., via t.v. or radio 

weather forecaster).

•	 Provide information in a format the public can understand. 

	 - Conduct a communication survey to assess what would be the best vehicle to use to

 provide information to the public in a timely manner. 

•	 Identify appropriate partners to put this mechanism together.

•	 Find out where people get their information.

•	 Provide beach closure information for the preceding swimming season at the end of the 

season so beach managers can look at the data prior to the upcoming swimming season. 

Collaborations and Consistency

•	 Develop a press package to ensure delivery of consistent messages. 

	 - Present information to the press in a simple way so that it can be understood by the public. 

•	 Collaborate with local bureaus of tourism to make information specific to beach users.

•	 Work with all parties involved (wastewater treatment plant operators, public health officials, 

researchers, etc.) to deliver consistent messages.

•	 Encourage collaboration among different groups that are involved in beach management and 

public health.

•	 Ensure that we consider the uniqueness of communities (different cultures) and build in 

standardized flexibility. 
17

(3) Training

Training Beach Management

•	 Identify what a beach manager needs to know about what’s impacting the water in order to 

make decisions on properly managing a beach.

•	 Develop a list of beach management information sources. 

•	 Create a box of tools that includes the standard elements one needs to develop a standardized 

beach management program. Include sampling protocol and other important beach 

management information, including an Information Technology atlas.

•	 Develop a plan for maintaining corporate memory for beach program and monitoring 

information in case of personnel turnover.

•	 Create a flip chart with bullet points listing critical information, references, and where to find 

additional information (consider that beach managers come from varied backgrounds, and 

that some deal with water quality issues while others may deal with the physical aspects of 

beach maintenance).

•	 Offer a continuing education credits program for beach managers. 

•	 Conduct more training on emerging technologies and on best management practices. 

•	 Develop a video that everyone can use on sampling techniques and on collection of 

predictive modeling data.

•	 Develop a list of Best Management Practices. 

(4) Improving Communication with Beach Management

Public Outreach

•	 Ensure that everyone responsible for beaches hears the message (there are other groups of 

people we are not reaching out to that we may need to include).

Communication Strategies

•	 Continue to hold workshops and meetings to disseminate information.

	 - Keep track of and promote conferences and newsletters.

•	 Provide information to beach managers and public health officials on the “plate” that 

they normally receive or look to for information. For example, a beach manager may pay 

attention to emails they receive from a particular entity or organization, but may not pay 

attention to information sent by EPA. 

(5) Emerging Issues

•	 Need to conduct more research on:

	 - Non-human, non-point sources of contamination (e.g., birds vs. human – what is more 

 dangerous?)

	 - Pathogen criteria

	 - Cyanobacteria

	 - Effects of climate change

	 - Watershed factors that make beaches different

	 - Interactions of groundwater and surface water

•	 Consider emerging nuisances such as avian influenza and pandemic flu 
18

	 - Look at diseases in animals and how they intersect with water to create new pathways of

 exposure to humans

	 - Consider pop dynamics and demographic changes

•	 Focus on children’s health issues 

•	 Determine how much research is enough (new pathogen indicators will replace the current 

ones, faster testing methods are being evaluated, etc.) 
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APPENDIX B.

Priorities

Information Sharing

1. Communication between local, state, and federal agencies.

a) Networking at workshops.

b) Collaborative strategies.

c) Developing communication pathways; both bottom up and top-down.

d) Sharing information with marine beaches and with inland lake institutions.

e) Shared research agendas communicated.

f) Stronger federal outreach presence in New York.

2. Multi-disciplinary/ Multi Agency Communication.

a) Collaborative strategies.

b) Connecting epidemiology studies and environmental data between agencies/groups.

3. Local level communication.

a) Communicate with waste water professional groups; especially for storm water events.

b) Educate city waste waster issues to parents and grand parent s(multi-level education).

c) Collaboration between public health and environmental community.

Training

1. Hands-On

a) Training packets, videos.

b) Health surveillance (swimmer illness outcome based matrix model for program).

c) Training for beach mgrs on how to use models.

d) How to guides for sampling and managing beaches.

e) Sampling training.

f) Info on emerging technology.

g) Conferences, workshops for beach managers (multi-disciplinary).

h) Training for new beach managers (welcome packets).

i) Sanitary Survey.

j) Train managers how to use databases.

k) Best Management Practice training.

l) Including beach health information in the continuing education curriculum that city

 employees have access to.

2. Policy/Regulation Training

a) Teach local and state government officials about issues effecting beach closures. 

b) Conduct beach health assessments.

c) Bring up beach health issues at local town meetings.
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3. Public Outreach

a) Info & training on health/swim issues (for local government & beach mgrs.).

b) Media training about advisories.

c) General public education on storm water & why to support non-point source 

 management legislation.

d) General public outreach material to teach people how to be responsible beach goers.

e) Use sea grant extension agents to communicate with public.

f) “What Can You Do?” guide for public on preventing water pollution.

g) Public education campaign to understand significance of closings; need to create public

confidence.

Tools

1. Monitoring

a) Improvement in rapid test methodologies.

b) Pre-emptive research.

c) Surveillance for disease in community.

d) Programs that are focused on elimination of beach contamination sources.

e) Improving source tracking methods- especially those sources that effect human health.

f) Improve indicator monitoring.

g) Link pathogen and indicators.

h) Identify which storm water outfalls pose risk to human health.

i) Monitor at a multi scale. 

j) Hourly data collection.

2. Input

a) Higher resolution data.

b) Easier data accessibility; perhaps a regularly updated website.

c) Standardized data between agencies; especially for precipitation, wind and wave 

 height information.

d) Data that is time relevant for local, state and federal needs; more real-time data.

e) Wind and precipitation data needs to be collected closer to beaches.

f) pre-emptive research/sampling.

g) Collection of data related to illness in the community.

h) Multi-beach data collection; not limited by geo-political boundaries. Beach 

 boundaries established using biological and physical differences; not political.

i) Need data related to tiled fields.

j) Need access to sewer maps and storm water maps.

k) CSO events need to be posted online.

3. Output

a) Improvement in predictive modeling.

b) Improvement in probabilistic modeling.

c) Time relevant data management.

d) Development of web portal to access data.

e) Pathogen and illness modeling links.
21

f) Multi-scale, multi parameter modeling.

g) Visual modeling; using graphics instead of just formulas especially to show city 

 planners/engineering’s how their decisions effect beach health.

h) GIS maps of all tributaries; upstream information needed.

Epidemiology Study

a) Determine relationship between beach closures and health problems.

b) Non-human health risks to swimmers.

c) Identify harmful pathogens and differentiate between benign ones.

d) Link pathogen and disease prevalence; which pathogens cause what disease.

e) Linking pathogens to modeling and other monitoring tools.

f) Identify impacts to public health.
22

Appendix C.

Actions Addressing Research Needs

 

Need Identified at 

Workshop Actions Being Taken to Address Research Needs Lead Agency/Org

Conduct basic training 

for beach managers.

A BEACH 101 class will be held annually at the GLBA 

workshops. The class will provide information about 

resources and the various beach management tools 

that are available.

GLBA

Develop a video that 

everyone can use on 

sampling techniques.

A video is being developed by the Wisconsin 

Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) to train 

individuals on how to conduct water quality sampling at 

beaches. The video will be posted on the University of 

Wisconsin’s website.

WDNR

Develop a standardized 

sanitary survey tool to 

identify contamination 

sources at beaches. 

In connection with the Great Lakes Regional 

Collaboration’s Coastal Health Strategy, a standardized 

sanitary survey is currently being developed for use by 

all Great Lakes beach managers for identification of 

contamination sources impacting beaches. While this 

action will ideally ultimately lead to the implementation 

of remediation measures to reduce beach closures, 

the key is to provide the information to the public so 

beachgoers may make educated decisions about when 

and where to swim.

USEPA

Hold annual beach 

conferences.

Beach management workshops are held annually by the 

GLBA at various locations around the Great Lakes. The 

6th annual GLBA workshop will be held in Niagara Falls, 

New York, October 2-4, 2006, in conjunction with the 

National Beach Conference. USEPA holds a national 

beach conference every 2 – 3 years.

GLBA/

States/

USEPA

Hold conferences at the 

local level.

Several Great Lakes states hold beach management 

workshops. States

Develop a video that 

everyone can use on 

collection of predictive 

modeling data.

A video is being developed on the use of models to 

predict high bacteria levels to better inform the public 

of the status of beach water quality. The video will 

cover several different types of predictive models and 

will train beach management personnel how to collect 

predictive modeling data. 

States/ 

USEPA/ USGS

Promote conferences 

and newsletters.

USEPA’s BEACH Watch web site and the GLBA 

list-serve actively promote beach conferences and 

workshops. USEPA’s quarterly Beach Currents 

Newsletter is posted on USEPA’s BEACH Watch 

website.

GLBA/

USEPA/NOAA
23

Develop GIS maps of 

Great Lakes tributaries.

USEPA Region 5 has the most up-to-date hydrological 

GIS data from USGS, and has generated maps for 

many of the Great Lakes tributaries for a variety of 

purposes within USEPA. This mapping can be done to 

support the GLBA upon request.

USEPA

· Use list serves to 

improve communication 

with beach 

management.

· Establish network for 

beach managers to 

continue discussion on 

emerging technologies, 

new training devices, 

etc.

BEACHNET is an email discussion list that seeks to 

facilitate communication among individuals interested 

in the improvement of recreational beach water quality 

in the Great Lakes basin. Expand BEACHNET nationally

GLBA/ GLIN/ 

USGS/NOAA

Identify location of storm 

water outfalls.

USEPA Region 5 has all of the storm water outfall 

locations that the States have entered into the Permit 

Compliance System (PCS) national database. A subset 

of these data, CSO, has been previously mapped for 

the Great Lakes watershed. However, because the PCS 

database is regularly updated by the states, it would 

be prudent to conduct a new mapping effort using the 

most updated outfall locations should the need arise. 

USEPA

CSO events need to be 

posted online.

IDEM is developing a plan for CSO events to be 

reported to IDEM’s NW IN office and then automatically 

reported to Earth 911 for immediate posting online.

IDEM

Develop rapid test 

methods.

Rapid test methods for measuring beach water quality 

are currently being evaluated through the USEPA/CDC 

National Epidemiological Environmental Assessment of 

Recreational (NEEAR) Waters Study. 

USEPA

CDC

Need better indicators 

for fecal contaminants.

Studies of new pathogen indicators are being 

conducted through the NEEAR Waters Study as 

required by the BEACH Act. Based on the results of the 

NEEAR Waters Study, EPA will develop new ambient 

water quality criteria for coastal and Great Lakes 

waters. These criteria will take advantage of the new 

rapid indicator methodology and advanced state of the 

science of health implications from recreational waters. 

USEPA

Create awareness on 

how to be responsible 

beachgoers.

Several states have developed beach health outreach 

products with advice for beach goers on how to 

help keep beach water clean to reduce the risk of 

contracting illness at the beach. 

States/NOAA

Validate Rapid Test Conduct Rapid Test Using QPCR during beach 

monitoring program USGS
24

Develop Predictive 

Models

Develop models that predict beach closures within the 

southern Lake Michigan area and Lake St. Clair

USGS/

NOAA

Identify non-fecal, nonpoint indicator bacteria 

sources 

Background levels of indicator bacteria and non-fecal 

sources or identified. Source and fate studies are 

conducted.

USGS/EPA 

and NOAA/

MSU

Characterize fluvial 

inputs

Soil and runoff input of fecal bacteria are characterized 

in coastal streams and waterways USGS

Increase accessibility to 

water temperature data

The BeachCast website provides Great Lakes beach 

goers with access to information on beach conditions, 

including health advisories, water temperature, wave 

heights, monitoring data, etc.

Great Lakes 

Commission/ 

GLIN
25

Appendix D.

List of Participants

State

Name Affiliation Break Out Group

Alex DaSilva Indiana Department of Environmental 

Management Forecasting

Eric Weigert NY Department of Health Monitoring/Assessment

Geeta Rijal Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of 

Greater Chicago Monitoring/Assessment

Irena Draksic Massachusetts Department of Public Health Forecasting

Joe Keithley Indiana Department of Environmental 

Management Managing Public Health

Kate Bushren NY State Parks Forecasting

Kelly O‘Connor WI Department of Natural Resources Managing Public Health

Kristen Strasser NY State Parks Monitoring/Assessment

Kristi Sorsa Madison Department of Public Health Monitoring/Assessment

Nicole Richmond WI Department of Natural Resources Monitoring/Assessment

Ronda Volz WI Department of Natural Resources Forecasting

Sara Summer New Hampshire Department of 

Environmental Services Managing Public Health

Shannon Briggs Michigan Department of Environmental 

Quality Managing Public Health

Toni Glymph WI Department of Natural Resources Monitoring/Assessment

Tracynda Davis WI Division of Public Health Managing Public Health

Doug Sackett New York Department of Health Managing Public Health

Alicia Carlson New Hampshire Department of 

Environmental Services Managing Public Health

Chris Huskey Massachusetts Department of Public Health
26

Federal

Name Affiliation Break Out Group

Charles Peters USGS Monitoring/Assessment

Christine Manninen Great Lakes Commission Monitoring/Assessment

David Rockwell EPA Managing Public Health

Dawn Shively USGS Monitoring/Assessment

Donna Francy USGS Forecasting

Holiday Wirick USEPA Managing Public Health

Judy Beck EPA Managing Public Health

Kanika Suri NOAA Forecasting

Katarzyna Przybyla-Kelly USGS Forecasting

Meredith Nevers USGS Forecasting

Milo Anderson EPA Forecasting

Murulee Byappanahalli USGS Managing Public Health

Norman Grannemann USGS Managing Public Health

Richard Whitman USGS Monitoring/Assessment

Sandra Morrison USGS Monitoring/Assessment

Sonia Joseph NOAA Monitoring/Assessment

Stephen Brandt NOAA Forecasting

Steve Corsi USGS Monitoring/Assessment

Sheridan Haack USGS Managing Public Health

Tammy Mitchell EPA Managing Public Health

Alfred Dufour EPA Managing Public Health

Charles Kovatch EPA Managing Public Health
27

Rochelle Sturtevant NOAA/Sea Grant Forecasting

Leon Carl USGS Monitoring/Assessment

University

Name Affiliation Break Out Group

Erica Jensen UWM- Water Institute Forecasting

Joan Rose MSU Forecasting

Lubo Liu MSU Forecasting

Michael Gardner Northland College Managing Public Health

Sandra McClellan UWM- Water Institute Monitoring/Assessment

Stephanie Molloy MSU Managing Public Health

Vera Volva MSU Managing Public Health

Teresa Roth

Local/County

Name Affiliation Break Out Group

Jill Lis Cuyahoga County Board of Health Managing Public Health

Julie Kinzelmann City of Racine Managing Public Health

Mark Borkhurt Marshfield Clinic Monitoring/Assessment

Mary Ellen Bruesch Milwaukee Health Department Managing Public Health

Michael Mclenose Hatfield Lakefront Association Managing Public Health

Paul Biedrzycki Milwaukee Health Department Managing Public Health

Christine Daley Chippewa County Health Department Managing Public Health

William Shultzer Door County Soil and Water Conservation Forecasting

Bob Slow Blue Water Shoreline Residents Association, 

Wisc. Forecasting