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PUBLIC BEACH REPORT

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The Environmental Health Division of the Grand Traverse County Health Department works closely with the Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay, the City of Traverse City, and the Traverse City State Park to insure the health and safety of five public beaches on East and West Grand Traverse Bay.  The Watershed Center administers grants from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to sample surface water from swim areas of the beaches.  The water samples are analyzed for E. coli, a relatively harmless organism that may indicate the possible presence of harmful pathogenic microorganisms. Boats on Beach
The GTCHD interprets sample results and posts the "Weekly Beach Report", including the "Water Quality Index", which is a numerical system of alerting the public regarding contact with surface water.  For example, Level 1 is safe for full body contact, Level 2 is safe for contact below the waste, Level 3 means no body contact, and Level 4 is a health alert with no body contact due to gross contamination.

In addition, the GTCHD has organized a coalition of agencies known as the "Beach Monitoring Stakeholders Group" that regularly meets to discuss surface water quality issues as they relate to healthy beaches.

Beach Monitoring Results for Grand Traverse County

2009 Beach Reports                       2008 Beach Reports

Weekly Beach Report Posting 091009 Weekly Beach Report Posting Update 090508

Weekly Beach Report Posting 090309    Weekly Beach Report Posting 090408

Weekly Beach Report Posting Update 082809 Weekly Beach Report Posting 082908 Update

Weekly Beach Report Posting 082709

Weekly Beach Report Posting 082808
Weekly Beach Report Posting 082009

Weekly Beach Report Posting 082108
Weekly Beach Report Posting 081309
Weekly Beach Report Posting 081408

Weekly Beach Report Posting 080609 Weekly Beach Report Posting 080708

Weekly Beach Report Posting 073009 Weekly Beach Report Posting 073108

Weekly Beach Report Posting 072309 Weekly Beach Report Posting 072408

Weekly Beach Report Posting 071609

Weekly Beach Report Posting 071708
Weekly Beach Report Posting 070909 Weekly Beach Report Posting 071008

Weekly Beach Report Posting 070209 Weekly Beach Report Posting 070308

Weekly Beach Report Posting 062509
Weekly Beach Report Posting 062608

Weekly Beach Report Posting 061809 Weekly Beach Report Posting 061908

Weekly Beach Report Posting 061109 Weekly Beach Report Posting 061208

Weekly Beach Report Posting 060409 Weekly Beach Report Posting 060508

TC Beach2

LINKS:  INFO:
MDEQ Beach Monitoring Web Site GT County Beach Monitoring Policy
The Watershed Center at GT Bay Information on Swimmers Itch