
Recreation
BeachCast
Biking
Birding
Boating
Camping
Canoeing & Kayaking
Cruises
Fall Colors
Festivals
Golfing
Hiking
Hunting & Fishing
Islands
Parks
Scuba Diving
Sports
Tours
Winter Activities
Culture
The Arts
Historic Sites
Lighthouses
Museums
Shipwrecks
Circle Tour
Overview
Lake Superior
Lake Michigan
Lake Huron
Lake Erie
Lake Ontario
References
Agencies & Organizations
Beds & Breakfasts
Cities & Counties
Tourism Maps
Traffic and Construction
Weather and Climate
|
|
Beaches
in the Great Lakes Region
What's New |
General Resources |
Monitoring
State and Provincial Resources |
Related Resources
What's New
EDITORIAL: Law needed to ensure access to Great Lakes beaches Orangeville Citizen (9/4) For most Dufferin-area residents, a trip "to the beach" is a trip to Wasaga, which bills itself as the world's longest fresh water beach.
Beach 9-1-1 Lake County News-Sun (8/26) It was a rough year for beach closings along Lake Michigan, but Lake County officials say a recent environmental group's report overstates the problem of poor water quality.
People hear about Denison dune land preservation The Grand Rapids Press (8/27) About 300 people last night heard how the Lake Michigan dune land known as the former Denison property will be preserved.
State, local waters plagued by potentially harmful bacteria Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (8/25) Cyanobacteria have always lived in the ponds, streams, and lakes of New York state. But in recent years, cyanobacteria have become more abundant and appear to be producing toxins more frequently.
Lake Superior hosts a summer of art in the park The Sault Star (8/19) Heather Sinnott, an artist who often frequents the haunts and magical places of Lake Superior, held seven art workshops this summer in the Lake Superior Provincial Park Visitor's Centre at Agawa Bay.
Ohio Nowcasting Beach Advisories (8/19) The mathematical models used to make predictions on the nowcast are based on measurements of environmental and water-quality variables known to influence E. coli levels. These are called "variables" and include measurements of rainfall, wave height, and water clarity.

General Resources
BEACH Watch Program U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) The BEACH Program oversees implementation of the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act of 2000, which awards grants to states for improving the quality of coastal recreation waters.
Blue Wave Campaign Clean Beaches Council Provides an annual list of beaches which have been certified as clean and healthy for the start of the upcoming summer beach season. The beaches on this year’s list have met a new, stricter 56-point set of pilot criteria for cleanliness and environmental health, including tough standards for litter.
Citizen's Center for Beach Health Alliance for the Great Lakes Offers help to citizens and civic groups to understand why beaches close and what people can do to keep them healthy.
EPA Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency GLNPO primarily focuses on monitoring lake ecosystem indicators; helping communities address contaminated sediments; promoting pollution prevention through projects such as the Canada-U.S. Binational Toxics Strategy; and providing assistance for Lakewide Management Plans and community-based Remedial Action Plans for Areas of Concern.
The Interim Swimmability Index U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) The purpose of the swimmability index is to assess E. coli and fecal coliform contaminant levels in nearshore recreational waters, and to infer potential harm to human health through body contact with nearshore recreational waters. This indicator supports Annexes 1, 2 and 13 of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
U.S.-wide Beach Water Quality Monitoring System Earth 911 This partnership effort between Earth 911, Oceana, the Surfrider Foundation, and participating states and communities displays recent water quality conditions at your local beaches. The site also offers community-specific actions to help keep local beaches and coastal waters clean and safe.
Visualizing the Great Lakes U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) A slide collection featuring beaches from around the Great Lakes.

Monitoring
Coastal Cleanup / Beach Sweep Alliance for the Great Lakes Find out how to Adopt-a-Beach and see highlights from annual cleanups in Wisconsin, Ilinois, Indiana and Michigan.
Summary of Great Lakes Beach Closings 1981-1994 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) The Beach Closing Summary presents the findings of 14 years of annual surveys of Great Lakes bathing beaches.
Testing the Waters Annual Survey Natural Resources Defense Council Full text and tables of NRDC's annual survey of water-quality monitoring and public notification programs at U.S. beaches.

State and Provincial Resources
ILLINOIS
Illinois Bathing Beach Closings Illinois Department of Public Health Information on beach inspections, beach and pool closings, and current beach statistics.
Illinois Beach Monitoring and Closure/Advisory Practices Natural Resources Defense Council Illinois beach map and information on beach monitoring and closings.
Illinois Beach State Park Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Stretching leisurely for six and a half miles along the sandy shore of Lake Michigan in northern Illinois, the park encompasses the only remaining beach ridge shoreline left in the state.
Illinois Department of Public Health Online Illinois Department of Public Health Recent news and many more informational links.
The Chicago Park District Swim Report Chicago Park District The Chicago Park District manages the city's 31 lakefront and one in-land beach for the enjoyment of Chicago families and visitors.
INDIANA
Indiana Beach Monitoring and Closure/Advisory Practices Natural Resources Defense Council Indiana beach map and information on beach monitoring and closings.
Indiana Lake Michigan Coastal Program Indiana Department of Natural Resources The purpose of the Lake Michigan Coastal Program (LMCP) is to support coordination and partnerships among local, state, and federal agencies and local organizations for the protection and sustainable use of natural and cultural resources in the Lake Michigan region.
Indiana's Lake Michigan Beaches Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Program Obtain current Lake Michigan water quality conditions at Lake, Porter and Laporte County beaches throughout the swimming season.
West Beach Succession Trail Save the Dunes Council The West Beach Trails begin on the beach and end in an oak forest.
MICHIGAN
Macomb County Beach Closing Data The Macomb County Health Department This site provides beach testing results for the past three years. Click on the appropriate link to see beach-specific results.
Michigan Beach Closings: Sources & Solutions Alliance for the Great Lakes When beaches close it is usually because of the risk to human health from viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and other microbes that enter Lake Michigan from many different sources.
Michigan Beach Monitoring and Closure/Advisory Practices Natural Resources Defense Council Michigan beach maps and information on beach monitoring and closings.
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Michigan Department of Environmental Quality This site contains information about Michigan public beaches and recreational-use waterways. Here you will find information about beach closings, monitoring efforts and E. coli test results.
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality – Online Beach Monitoring System Michigan Department of Environmental Quality To search for a beach or other location, enter any part of the beach name or waterbody name into the search box on the top of this page and click "GO".
Orchard Beach State Park RING! Online Situated on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan, the park has 176 campsites, swimming beach and trails.
NEW YORK
New York Beach Monitoring and Closure/Advisory Practices Natural Resources Defense Council New York beach maps and information on beach monitoring and closings.
State Parks/Camping/Day Use New York State Parks
Surfrider Foundation – State of the Beach state report Surfrider Foundation The Surfrider Foundation State of the Beach report is our annual update on the health of our nation's beaches. It is intended to empower concerned citizens and coastal managers by giving them the information needed to take action.
OHIO
Alerts and Warnings Ohio Department of Health Ohio Beach monitoring and safety procedures.
Beach Monitoring Sample Results Ohio Department of Health During the summer months selected public beaches along Lake Erie are sampled for E. coli bacteria. This site will allow you to view current sample results and provide you with information to help decide when it is safe to swim.
Chaska Beach Conceived as a summer cottage resort, the beach, located in Huron, Ohio, is an integral part of the city today.
Cleveland Lakefront State Park Ohio Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Sand beaches, tree-lined picnic areas and panoramic views of the lake are found within the park along the Lake Erie shoreline.
Ohio Beach Monitoring and Closure/Advisory Practices Natural Resources Defense Council Ohio beach maps and information on beach monitoring and closings
ONTARIO
Sauble Beach Sauble Beach Chamber of Commerce Overlooking Lake Huron, the beach is a perfect summer vacation spot.
Surf the Beaches Beach Magazine Provides a map of beaches in Toronto and other related information.
Toronto and Region Conservation - Lake Ontario Waterfront Toronto and Region Conservation Lake Ontario waterfront information.
Wasaga Beach Located at the southern tip of Georgian Bay, it is the longest fresh water beach in the world.
Windsor/Essex Beach Information Windsor-Essex County Health Unit Current beach information for the Windsor/Essex region of Ontario.
PENNSYLVANIA
Pennsylvania Beach Monitoring and Closure/Advisory Practices Natural Resources Defense Council Pennsylvania beach map and information on beach monitoring and closings.
Presque Isle State Park - Swimming Presque Isle State Park The park, located on the Presque Isle peninsula, has seven miles of sandy, guarded, bathing beaches, separated by natural wooded areas.

Related Resources
GLIN: Boating in the Great Lakes Region
GLIN: Dunes in the Great Lakes Region
GLIN: Hunting and Fishing in the Great Lakes Region
GLIN: Lighthouses in the Great Lakes Region
GLIN: Parks in the Great Lakes Region

|