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Grants & FundingBeach GrantsNational Beach Guidance and Required Performance Criteria - Appendix 3A1: Beach Evaluation and Classification List
Grants & FundingBeach GrantsNational Beach Guidance and Required Performance Criteria - Appendix 3A1: Beach Evaluation and Classification ListNational Beach Guidance and Required Performance Criteria - Appendix 3A1: Beach Evaluation and Classification List
This appendix provides supplemental discussions, examples, and additional references that may be helpful to beach program managers. It does not create additional requirements beyond those in the main guidance document.
Table 1 provides an example of information describing:
- the potential for risk to human health presented by pathogens,
- use of the beach, and
- other factors that can be used to rank and classify beaches.
As indicated in chapter 3, coastal recreation waters adjacent to beaches or similar points of access should be classified in an appropriate tier based on the potential risk to human health presented by pathogens, and the use of the beach. Further ranking of waters that present an equal level of risk may be accomplished by considering information grouped in the category of "other factors" in the following table. The Beach Act also requires that the public be provided an opportunity to review the ranking program through a process that provides for public notice and an opportunity to comment.
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Potential Risk to Human Health Presented by Pathogens (Available Information) |
State water quality reports |
| Swimmers report health effects from this beach | |
| Advisories issued at this beach last year during the bathing season because of exceedance of water quality standard or preemptive standard | |
| Beach closed to bathing during the season last year because of health concerns or exceedance of water quality standard or preemptive standard | |
| Suspected sources of human pathogen contamination of the water at this beach | |
| Potential Risk to Human Health Presented by Pathogens (Pollution Threats) |
Industrial point sources |
| Urban point sources: Publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) | |
| Urban nonpoint sources: Oil, pesticides, other toxics | |
| Urban nonpoint sources: Sewage, pathogens | |
| Urban nonpoint sources: Plastics and other floatables | |
| Agricultural nonpoint sources: Pesticides and other toxics | |
| Agricultural nonpoint sources: Nutrients/animal wastes | |
| Potential Risk to Human Health Presented by Pathogens (Sanitary Survey) |
Annual rainfall for this area |
| Number of significant rainfall events during the past year (e.g., more than 1 inch in 24 hours) that were known to contribute to pathogen contamination | |
| Type of terrain within 5 miles of the beach | |
| Average high temperature during the swimming season | |
| Average temperature during the past 30 days | |
| Average flow if beach is on a river or an estuary with a flow | |
| Flow during past 30 days if beach is on a river or an estuary with a flow | |
| Nearshore water movement if beach is on an ocean, a lake, or other nonflowing waterbody with or without a tide | |
| Number of point source dischargers within 1 mile of this area (include outfalls) | |
| Area subject to combined sewer overflows (CSOs) or storm sewer overflows (SSOs) | |
| Area subject to agricultural runoff during storms | |
| Location of nearest POTW | |
| Number of POTWs within 5 miles of beach | |
| Approximate number of septic systems within 5 miles of beach | |
| Water treatment level in the area | |
| Number of animal feeding operations (AFOs, feedlots) or concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) within 5 miles of beach | |
| Number of aquaculture facilities within 5 miles of beach | |
| Nature of discharges from AFOs, CAFOs, and aquaculture facilities to a waterbody adjacent to this beach | |
| Availability of sanitary facilities for the bathing public during the bathing season | |
| Number of marinas or pleasure craft with toilets | |
| Wild animals present on or near the beach | |
| Domesticated animals present on or near the beach | |
| Approximate number of birds per hour that frequent a typical 50-meter length of this beach or nearshore waters | |
| Pollution prevention and abatement efforts in this area | |
| Potential risk to Human Health Presented by Pathogens (Monitoring Data) |
Number of exceedances of water quality standard per sampling station at a beach per month |
| Use of the Beach (Exposure Considerations) |
Approximate area of beach open to bathers (length × width at high tide) |
| Average number of days in the bathing season | |
| Percentage of beach visitors who go in the water | |
| Average density of bathers at peak season (include weekends and holidays) | |
| Average density of bathers during off-peak season | |
| Average density of bathers from the susceptible population (children, elderly) | |
| Other Factors | Importance of the beach to the local economy |
| If a program is not now in place at this beach, resources are available for developing a beach monitoring and notification program | |
| If a program is in place or planned, resources are available for maintaining a beach monitoring and notification program |