Since we're still in the middle of summer months I wanted to give a heads up about this article. Pretty sad quite frankly. Hopefully, these beach communities will mobilize & do some serious clean up. Here are some pix.

Damn link to the article doesn't work. Ok, here's the text:

America's Most Polluted Beaches

By Courtney Pannell, Forbes.com

Aug 4th, 2009

This summer, stay away from these troubled waters.

Need a beach day? Before you pack the sunscreen and flip-flops, check to make sure your destination isn't a dump. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) released its Testing the Waters 2009 report yesterday, chronicling which ocean, bay and Great Lakes beaches exceeded daily national contamination standards for human and animal waste in more than 25% of samples last year.
In Pictures: America's Most Polluted Beaches
polluted.jpg

In several places, the situation isn't pretty--but chances are you weren't going to these beaches anyway, as many of the worst ones are well-documented repeat offenders.

Places like Shired Island, Fla., and North Point Marina North Beach, Ill., have been on this list since 2005, putting up contamination exceedance numbers of 90% and 61% this year, respectively. The top 10 are ranked, here, according to the percentage of tests that exceeded acceptable contamination levels.

The report also details the number of closing and advisory days at U.S. beaches. This year's total, over 20,000, is the fourth-highest level in the history of the report. The highest number of reported closing and advisory days was over 24,000 in 2006, but Nancy Stoner, co-director of the water program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, says that this isn't necessarily because beaches are getting cleaner. It's because there's less monitoring.

"Places ran out of money," she says.

Money for beach monitoring and improvement comes from a combination of federal and state funding, Stoner says; states will often match federal grants for state monitoring and public notification systems. But even with sufficient funding, factors like population growth, development and climate largely determine a beach's pollution level. And, ultimately, Mother Nature holds the remote control.

For instance, high storm-water levels, fewer wave actions and straight-from-city water flow all contribute to pollution levels. Lackluster storm water and sewage systems aggravate the problem, as storm-water runoff had a hand in two-thirds of closings and advisories last year.

Still, Stoner says that overall contaminated samples have remained stagnant at 7%, and that improvements are possible, starting with the standards by which the Environmental Protection Agency conducts its tests. With NRDC pressure, the EPA has agreed to update its policies by 2012; they were formulated based on research performed in the 1970s and 1980s.

The EPA update is two-tiered: re-evaluating the bacterial indicators of contamination and improving the speed with which samples are analyzed. Right now, testing indicates only human or animal waste, and it takes over 24 hours to receive results. Under the new standards, more contaminants will be measured, and test results will be available in just a few hours to help speed up beach advisories and closures.

Until improvements are made, however, be vigilant in deciding which beach to visit. Rather than rely on test results, Stoner says common sense can be one of the best indicators. Be aware of recent rainfall and advisories when selecting a beach destination, and ask yourself: "Am I going to get sick when swimming in this?"
Top 5 of America's Most Polluted Beaches

1. Shired Island, Dixie County, Fla.
Monitoring Frequency: Once a week
2008 Total Samples: 29
Percent Exceedance: 90%

2. Kings at Stacy Brook, Essex County, Mass.
Monitoring Frequency: Once a week
2008 Total Samples: 25
Percent Exceedance: 72%

3. Jeorse Park Beach I, Lake County, Ind.
Monitoring Frequency: Five times per week
2008 Total Samples: 73
Percent Exceedance: 67%

4. Cockle Cove Creek-Parking Lot, Barnstable County, Mass.
Monitoring Frequency: Once a week
2008 Total Samples: 13
Percent Exceedance: 62%

5. Dekle Beach, Taylor County, Fla.
Monitoring Frequency: Once a week
2008 Total Samples: 21
Percent Exceedance: 62%

Not surprising that there's two from Indiana on there. Right by Gary, ick.

Yeah, not surprising also that #6 on the pix list is in LA County. But actually that's better than several years ago where several beaches here were not worth swimming in, eew! But many beach communities here have turned the tide & now are fine to visit & swim in the waters. Santa Monica is a prime ie. They have a very cool nonprofit organization known as Heal the Bay.

Metsfan, there is only one from Lake County, Indiana on the list, the other is in Lake County, IL, near the Wisconsin boarder. Neither are in Gary, which surprisingly, has relatively clean beaches.

Umm, #3 says Jerose Beach, which is right by Gary Int'l Airport....

And #10 is Jerose Beach II, so I can imagine that's right by Jerose Beach.

Yes, you are right. I didn't know there was a Jerose Park I and II. (Actually, there is not. I have lived in the area all my life) Please stay out of Indiana. You're right...it's all polluted, unlike all the beaches in Chicago that are constantly closed due to e-coli.

Last I checked, I didn't defend ANY Chicago beach. I know North Ave. gets closed for EColi, so chill the f**k out.

Wow. What a classy response. The only reason I brought any of this up was because of the initial slide-show link on Forbes, which showed Jerose Park in East Chicago and the beach near the Wisconsin boarder in Illinois. Then, seening the table report in another link, I admitted you were right. You chill, dude. You criticized the beach (and area) in which I live, which is why I attempted to correct you in the first place. You don't even know what you are talking about, which makes you comical. Ha-ha, the joke IS you. Go sell a cupcake or something.

Cute. Love the last part.

Ok you two!!! Arguin over some damn polluted beaches. Simmer yall asses down!!!

I think this past weekend's heat wave got to him.