Beach Monitoring
November 24, 2008Much of this material is excerpted from:
Blair, Bonnie and Amie Parris, 2008. RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH BEACH MONITORING PROGRAM - 2007 Season Report in the publication listing
The Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) regulates bathing beach facilities in the State of Rhode Island. HEALTH monitors all 119 licensed beaches throughout the State. Funding for saltwater beach monitoring comes from a federal grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). HEALTH conducts sampling throughout the beach season at all 69 licensed saltwater beaches from two weeks before Memorial Day to two weeks after Labor Day. Freshwater beach sampling is not currently funded by the US EPA. HEALTH requires the beach manager or facility owner at all licensed freshwater beaches to take water samples at all freshwater beaches. HEALTH receives results from either the beach manager or directly from the laboratory. The water quality sampling is carried out at a frequency determined by HEALTH’s risk based monitoring plan (described below).
All samples are analyzed for Enterococci. From 2003 to 20006, Fecal Coliform were also enumerated. In 2007, fecal coliform were eliminated from the analyses because of their poor correlation with actual health risk to swimmers, and all subsequent beach sampling (2007 –on) will be for the recommended US EPA bacterial water quality indicator : Enterococci.
History
HEALTH began monitoring beaches in the summer of 1995. Prior to 1995, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) was responsible for monitoring beaches. From approximately 1995 to 1999, beach monitoring was inconsistent and most beaches were only monitored once per season following the procedures previously used by the RIDEM.
In 1999, development of a comprehensive beach monitoring program began under a USEPA Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) grant to better assess water quality and health risk from swimming at beaches in the upper Bay. This federal grant enabled HEALTH to establish a public notification system that included a website, telephone hotline, and a beach flagging system. HEALTH also evaluated conditions in Upper Narragansett Bay, which has long been impacted by urban runoff, point source discharges, and combined sewer overflows.
The original EMPACT Program provided HEALTH the resources to sample 23 stations in the Upper Narragansett Bay in wet and dry weather. The conclusion of this study determined that additional and more frequent sampling was needed at the licensed Upper Bay beaches to adequately protect the public. Based on bacterial results, it was determined that areas north of Conimicut Point in Warwick and Nayatt Point in Barrington were not suitable for licensing at this time because water quality at these beaches, especially during wet weather, represented an unacceptable risk to public health.
In 2000, Congress enacted the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act, an amendment to the Clean Water Act. This law provides federal funds to adequately monitor public saltwater beaches. The National Beach Guidance and Required Performance Criteria for Grants (USEPA, 2002) outlined several requirements of the BEACH Act: a list and categorization of beaches according to risk, identification and mitigation of sources of pollution that may have an impact on bathing waters, the development of a risk communication plan, and providing USEPA with specific beach monitoring information.
Since 2000, the USEPA has provided HEALTH with federal funds to manage Rhode Island’s saltwater beach monitoring program. These grants have provided HEALTH the resources to vastly improve the beach- monitoring program and to develop a broad base of knowledge at Rhode Island’s licensed beaches.
In 2002, sample frequencies at all beaches were increased to provide HEALTH an expanded view of water quality throughout Rhode Island waters. Thirty-seven (37) saltwater beaches previously exempt from monitoring activities were added to the sampling, and beaches with known problems were sampled at a much greater frequency. This expanded monitoring allowed HEALTH to develop a database that could more accurately categorize the health risk of swimming at RI beaches.
HEALTH’s Risk-Based Monitoring Plan
Beginning in 2002, HEALTH began to pursue information on factors that increase the risk of beach closures at specific RI beaches in order to develop a risk-based classification scheme for RI beaches. Beach surveys were started during the 2002 bathing season and were completed before the start of the 2003 bathing season. Risk evaluation criteria were derived from: National Beach Guidance and Required Performance Criteria for Grants – Appendix G, materials from the Food and Drug Administration’s Applied Concepts in Sanitation Surveys of Shellfish Growing Areas course, and materials from the joint DOE/EPA Water Quality Standards Academy. Surveys were developed to evaluate and review existing information and current conditions at RI beaches. Further sanitary surveys are currently underway at all saltwater beaches throughout the State. HEALTH expects to finish all surveys by the end of 2008. As surveys are completed, data collected is analyzed and used to determine what changes, if any, need to be made to sample location, frequency, etc. at a particular beach.
To develop a tiered monitoring plan, HEALTH had to identify the following factors: the period and extent of use, the frequency of monitoring needed, the location of monitoring, the methods to be used, and assessment procedures for short term increases in pathogen indicators. For frequency of monitoring, risk ;)
Tier 1 Monitoring Frequency in Rhode Island’s Fres and Salt Waterscategories were developed based on 3 factors: proximity to known point and nonpoint stormwater sources of pollution (e.g., CSOs, major stormwater drains); high usage (>10,000 bathers); and frequency of a beach to exhibit poor water quality by past closure rates. Three risk tiers and associated sampling frequencies were developed : Tier 1 (high risk), to be sampled at a minimum weekly frequency ; Tier 2 (moderate risk) to be sampled at a minimum monthly frequency, and Tier III (low risk) bathing areas to be sampled at a minimum bi-yearly frequency. Sample results are reviewed annually to determine if a change in classification is needed. If sample results show an increased frequency of violations, an increase in the number of closure days, or a general deterioration of water quality in the area, the bathing area may require an increase in sampling effort. In addition, if water quality has improved and known/ suspected sources of bacterial contamination have been eliminated, a less stringent sample schedule may be implemented.
In 2003, several beaches were moved to a Tier I sample schedule (highest risk level-once per week sampling). Pollution sources were documented and additional sampling was conducted to protect public health.
HEALTH set up a 24-hour telephone hotline so that the public can call anytime to find out about beach closures and advisories. The hotline is updated as needed, but typically daily during the summer months. In addition, HEALTH initially created a Beach Monitoring website through the EPA EMPACT grant in 2000. This website is updated during the beach season to include latest available sample data and additional beach related information. The website lists all beach water quality data collected during the bathing season and contains a current list of closures and advisories, as well as maps of licensed bathing beaches and sample stations. HEALTH has been working with Garrison Enterprises (the Beach Program Database Contractor and Website Manager) to develop the maps as part of Google’sTM mapping system. Since the 2005-bathing season, the public can sign up for the RIBeach Watch service and receive email notifications whenever a sample or closure/opening event occurs at their favorite beach.
WQ Bathing Criteria and Bacterial Analytical Method
Rhode Island’s current bathing water standards are as follows: saltwater bathing waters must not exceed a single sample standard of 104 colony forming units (cfu) per 100 milliliters (mL) of Enterococci and freshwaters must not exceed 61 cfu/100mL of Enterococci.
All sample are tested for the enumeration of Enterococci using the IDEXX EnterolertTM . HEALTH has tested and found the US EPA method M-1600 less reliable as a “real-time” indicator. Sample design is linked to length of the beach: Beaches less than 300 linear feet of shoreline are required to take a minimum of one sample taken from the center of that bathing area. Beaches that are between 300 and 700 linear feet of shoreline are required to take a minimum of two water samples collected with approximately equal distances between stations and the ends of the beach. Beaches that are greater than 700 linear feet of shoreline require a minimum of three water samples collected with approximately equal distances between stations and the ends of the beach.
Violation Procedures
If testing results violate the recreational water quality standard for Enterococci during the bathing season, the bathing area is sampled daily until indicator organism levels fall within acceptable limits. If the bathing area is not already classified as high risk, it is tested on a Tier I risk level for four (4) weeks. If after four weeks test results do not show additional violations of Rhode Island’s water quality standards, the bathing area reverts to its original sample schedule. If sample results reveal further violations of the standard, the bathing area remains on a Tier I sample schedule for the remainder of the bathing season and the risk classification is reevaluated at the end of the season.
Lab results are faxed or emailed immediately to HEALTH and the facility operator. Beach managers are notified immediately by telephone and emailed/faxed a press release after the decision to close a beach is made. The beach manager/operator informs bathers, post any signs, raises a closure flag, and performs any other duties to close the bathing area to swimmers following their notification of WQ violations. Beach managers and the locally affected government receive a faxed press release prior to general distribution of the closure notice. In addition, the 24-hour telephone beach hotline reflects the latest closures.
Upon closure, the facility is required to test daily until bacteria levels fall within acceptable limits. When it is determined that bacteria levels permit the re-opening of a facility, notification procedures are followed to inform the public of the change of status. Current public notification procedures in place include beach flag signage, 24 hour hotline, website (www.ribeaches.org), and a standard press release which is faxed to 22 major TV, radio, and print media outlets throughout Rhode Island, allowing for rapid public notification of potential risk associated with swimming in contaminated bathing waters.
2007 RESULTS
During the 2007 bathing season HEALTH was provided with federal funds to monitor all 69 licensed saltwater bathing beaches. From May to September, 1,718 tests were analyzed for Enterococci. The 2007 bathing season was the fourth season HEALTH made open/closure decisions based on the USEPA recommended indicator bacteria Enterococci.
In 2007, the number of samples increased to 1,718 from 281 in 1995. This number has decreased from 2006 since the program no longer tests for fecal coliform. The number of beaches tested increased from 82 in 1997 to 119 in 2007, 69 of which are saltwater beaches.
The 2007 bathing season showed a significant decrease (~ 366%) in beach closures and closure days from the 2006 season (Fig Beach 2). The intensity and total volume of rainfall was lower during the summer of 2007 (June 1 to August 31) than the summer of 2006, strongly suggesting that there is a tight correlation between stormwater runoff and beach closures, a common factor for beach closures nationally. Total summer rainfall seems more important than number of intense storms (>.50”/24-hr June 1-Aug.31) since both years were similar (6 in 2007; 5 in 2006). 2003 stands out with a much larger closure rate occurred due to summer rains and an increase in the number of samples and a larger number of beaches sampled compared with the previous monitoring. The large decrease in closures for Greenwich Bay, Warwick beaches suggests that some of the 2007 improvement is also due to management efforts in that region (see Special Studies below). It should be noted that total closure data is based on federally funded saltwater beach sampling and privately funded freshwater beach sampling.
Predictive Modeling
During the 2007 season, HEALTH began to utilize predictive measures at Scarborough State Beach and Easton’s Beach in Rhode Island, 2 beaches that tend to have high closure rates. Since sampling has increased steadily over the past several years, there is more data available to create these models. Comparing past results to such variables as rainfall and observed wildlife/boat activity has also created useful data that can be incorporated. Currently, the turn around time for sampling results is 24 hours. Due to this fact, HEALTH’s goal is to utilize past data to create a system that will dictate appropriate closing/ opening measures in a more timely manner to ensure better public health. However, the development of predictive models is dependent upon large sample data sets, and therefore there is a definite need for further collection of samples after rain events, etc. and continued development of models.
HEALTH is currently in the process of reviewing all data that has been inputted into the beach database to ensure quality of reported results. Upon completion of the data evaluation, HEALTH plans to assess rainfall and sample data for beaches with chronic closures in order to look for trends that may help in the development of predictive models and closure protocols for each beach.
Flagship Beaches
Flagship beaches are high-use beaches selected for targeted attention. HEALTH and the USEPA have chosen beaches for flagship designations based on three criteria: the beach has a history of closures; extended periods of poor water quality were recorded for that beach; and the beach serves a diverse socioeconomic user group. During the 2002 season, Goddard Park in Warwick, Warren Town Beach in Warren, and King Park Swim Area in Newport were designated as Rhode Island’s Flagship Beaches. However, due to the closure of King Park in 2004 by the City of Newport, Scarborough State Beach in Narragansett was designated as a flagship beach.
Governor’s Priority Beaches
During the summer of 2003, Rhode Islanders experienced the highest number of recorded beach closures ever experienced, and Greenwich Bay experienced the worst fish kill in the last 50 years. In response to these events, the Governor’s Narragansett Bay and Watershed Planning Commission was formed to coordinate and plan for the environmental and economic health of the Bay. Ten study panels were convened with experts from state and federal government, academia, non-governmental organizations, private firms and the public.
In March of 2004, the Commission issued a report detailing recommendations to improve the health of Narragansett Bay. In response to this report, in July, 2004, Governor Carcieri charged HEALTH, Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) with developing an improvement strategy for 10 priority beaches. In December 2004, HEALTH, DEM and DOT issued the Joint Improvement Strategy for 10 Priority Beaches report outlining the next steps to be taken to identify and correct pollution problems at 10 priority beaches. More details on these priority beaches can be found in the Rhode Island Department of Health Beach Monitoring Program 2007 Season Report.
Easton’s and Atlantic Beach Club
During the 2007 beach season, Easton’s Beach in Newport, Rhode Island was closed for 4 days and Atlantic Beach Club Beach in Middletown, Rhode Island (located adjacent to Easton’s) was closed for 8 days, a significant decrease compared with 12 closure days for Easton’s Beach and 30 closure days at Atlantic Beach Club Beach in 2006. In the winter of 2007, the City of Newport granted money to a local Aquidneck Island volunteer organization, Clean Ocean Access (COA), to continue sampling Easton’s Beach and Atlantic Beach Club Beach during the off-season when surfers utilize the beach area. The City of Newport paid for sample analysis from January through May, and COA provided all necessary manpower. COA was able to convince Newport city officials to continue funding these off-season sampling efforts as well as sampling year round through 2008 at several non-licensed swimming areas on Aquidneck Island. These sampling efforts by COA will assess bacterial conditions after rain events. HEALTH continues to work with COA to provide support and technical assistance. HEALTH plans to conduct surveys at the non-licensed swimming areas being sampled by COA in order to reconsider these areas for sampling under the Beach Program. HEALTH will also supplement sampling efforts of COA as needed at some of these locations during the upcoming beach season.
Greenwich Bay
Beaches located in the City of Warwick have accounted for the largest percentage of closures by city/town over the last several years. From 2006 to 2007, closures in Warwick decreased dramatically from 89 to 16 closure days. A portion of this decrease can be attributed to the decreased rainfall in 2007 (Fig.1). ;)
Fig. 1, Beach Closures in Rhode Island between 1998 and 2007. However, this significant decrease may also be attributed to the city of Warwick connecting over 4,000 homes to sewers throughout the city and around the beaches. HEALTH is currently working with RIDEM to determine if combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in the upper bay may be contributing to beach closures at Conimicut Point. RIDEM has completed a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for Greenwich Bay which details comprehensive management actions to decrease bacterial loads. In addition, the Coastal Resource Management Council (CRMC) developed and approved a Greenwich Bay Special Area Management Plan (SAMP) in cooperation with the TMDL plan. The SAMP focuses on all aspects of pollution sources within the Greenwich Bay watershed.
As part of the EPA New England Beach Strategy, HEALTH is working with EPA, RIDEM and the City of Warwick to identify sources of contamination at Warwick’s beaches, coordinate efforts in monitoring and data exchange and working to correct issues facing these beaches. A USEPA National Epidemiological and Environmental Assessment of Recreational (NEEAR) Water Study was conducted at Goddard State Park Beach from June 23rd through Labor Day on weekends and holidays during the 2007 beach season. The main goals of the study were to determine new ways of analyzing water samples for real-time water quality measurements (i.e. rapid 2-hour tests), and to help gain a better understanding between water pollution, swimming at the beach, and peoples’ health (through interviews regarding illness, exposure, etc.) Representatives from EPA, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Westat (EPA’s contractor) conducted interviews of beach goers and collected water samples throughout the beach season. Results should be ready in 2008.
Other information sources: RIDOH Presentation at Greenwich Bay Forum, October 25, 2007