Lake Superior Beach Monitoring Program

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2015 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$105,000
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$105,000
Fund Source
Clean Water Fund
Recipient
Minnesota Department of Health
Recipient Type
State Government
Status
Completed
Start Date
July 2014
End Date
June 2016
Activity Type
Analysis/Interpretation
Assessment/Evaluation
Education/Outreach/Engagement
Monitoring
Counties Affected
Cook
Lake
St. Louis
Cook
Lake
St. Louis
Project Overview

The Lake Superior Beach Monitoring and Notification Program exists to test recreational beach water and notify the public if bacteria levels become unsafe. This project will expand the Beach Program to include additional outreach efforts, sanitary surveys and testing of new technologies to improve the Beach Program. Monitoring results will be used to inform the public, find the sources of bacterial contamination and address polluted runoff from improper waste disposal.

About the Issue

Minnesota's Lake Superior Shoreline is lined with 80 beaches and visited by thousands of people each year. A significant portion of this coastline's recreational waters are subject to contamination from sources: urban runoff, overflows from wastewater collection and treatment facilities, discharge from boats,k human waste, animal feeding operations, pet wastes, and natural animal sources, such as wildlife. This contaminated water is a potential cause of gastrointestinal illness and other diseases.

Legal Citation / Subdivision
Minnesota Law 2013 Chapter 137 Article 2 Section8(f)
Appropriation Language

$105,000 the first year and $105,000 the second year are for monitoring recreational beaches on Lake Superior for pollutants that may pose a public health risk and mitigating sources of bacterial contamination that are identified.

2015 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$105,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$197,000
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

• Conduct sanitary surveys at 40 Lake Superior beaches.
• Combine sanitary survey information with monitoring data to explore predictive models as a method of forecasting beach water quality before samples are taken.

Measurable Outcome(s)

• Conducted sanitary surveys at 40 Lake Superior beaches. Surveys are compiled into maps for easy reference.
• Created 16 predictive models (2 for each of 8 beaches) as a method of forecasting beach water quality before samples are taken. Of the 16 models created, 7 met criteria that show promise for use in real-time health advisory listing.
o The predictive models are being pilot tested this summer to evaluate their performance in real-time conditions. If they pass pilot testing, they will be used in the 2017 beach season to post health advisories at certain Minnesota Lake Superior Beaches.

Source of Additional Funds

United States Environmental Protection Agency BEACH Act funds

Legal Citation / Subdivision
Minnesota Law 2013 Chapter 137 Article 2 Section8(f)
Appropriation Language

$105,000 the first year and $105,000 the second year are for monitoring recreational beaches on Lake Superior for pollutants that may pose a public health risk and mitigating sources of bacterial contamination that are identified.

2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$105,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$193,000
Number of full time equivalents funded
0.5
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

• Conduct sanitary surveys at 40 Lake Superior beaches.
• Combine sanitary survey information with monitoring data to explore predictive models as a method of forecasting beach water quality before samples are taken.

Measurable Outcome(s)

• Conducted sanitary surveys at 40 Lake Superior beaches. Surveys are compiled into maps for easy reference.
• Created 16 predictive models (2 for each of 8 beaches) as a method of forecasting beach water quality before samples are taken. Of the 16 models created, 7 met criteria that show promise for use in real-time health advisory listing.
o The predictive models are being pilot tested this summer to evaluate their performance in real-time conditions. If they pass pilot testing, they will be used in the 2017 beach season to post health advisories at certain Minnesota Lake Superior Beaches.

Source of Additional Funds

United States Environmental Protection Agency BEACH Act funds

Project Manager
First Name
Cindy
Last Name
Hakala
Organization Name
Minnesota Department of Health
Street Address
11 East Superior Street, Suite 290
City
Duluth
State
Minnesota
Zip Code
55802
Phone
218-302-6150
Email
cynthia.hakala@state.mn.us
Administered By
Administered by
Location

P.O. Box 64975
St. Paul, MN 55164-0975

Phone
651-201-5000