Technical Resources about Beaches
The resources below help state and local officials to monitor beach health and to make decisions about when to issue an advisory or close beaches due to unsafe environmental conditions. The EPA’s BEACON database provides information on beach water quality and beach advisories and closures for coastal recreation waters and the Great Lakes. Annual national statistics for the 1999 - 2012 swimming seasons along with state-by-state data are also available in the EPA Archive. Search EPA Archive
- 2016 Recreational Waters Conference
- EPA, state, tribal and territorial beach program websites and contacts
Data and Reports about Beach Health
Recreational Water Quality Criteria (RWQC)
- 2012 National Recommended RWQC
- 2004 Bacteria Rule
- 1986 Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Bacteria
(superseded by 2012 criteria, for reference only)
