The safety of California's beaches for swimming is a significant concern for water quality managers and the public. Swimming safety is evaluated using standardized field and laboratory procedures to measure indicator bacteria levels in areas designated for body contact. California's coastal beaches are routinely monitored by a coordinated network of public health agencies, with results accessible through the Beach Watch database and the Safe to Swim Maps. However, a coordinated statewide program to monitor the safety of inland beaches for swimming has yet to be established. To address this gap, the Inland Beach Monitoring Workgroup was established. This group oversees the actions of the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program, monitors, assesses, and reports on the swimming safety of inland waters, and facilitates coordination and data sharing among monitoring groups throughout the state.
The Inland Beach Workgroup aims to enhance public health and environmental safety by addressing key goals outlined in Assembly Bill 1066 (Dodd, 2021). The workgroup intends to expand the Safe to Swim Maps by incorporating bacterial indicator data for inland waters, thereby ensuring comprehensive access to swimming safety information. The workgroup seeks to standardize monitoring and assessing inland water quality methods, presenting the findings clearly and promptly to decision-makers and the public. Furthermore, the group emphasizes capturing all bacterial indicator data within the California Environmental Data Exchange Network (CEDEN), promoting a unified and efficient data management system. These efforts collectively aim to safeguard water quality and protect public health across California's diverse aquatic environments.
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Please send any comments or questions to the Inland Beach Monitoring Workgroup to Alisha Wenzel. Statewide Campaigns Save Our Water Related websites State Water Resources Control Board CalEPA Resources Email Us Monitoring Council Home Mailing Lists