For the 19th year in a row, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has released a report summarizing the status of our nations beach water quality. Unfortunately, 2008 marked the 4th year in a row that the number of closing and advisory days topped 20,000 days nationwide due to elevated bacteria levels. In Oregon, 3% of all reported beach monitoring samples exceeded the state's daily maximum bacterial standards, which was a decrease from 8% in 2007. This indicates that some progress is being made to keep our nearshore waters clean, however much work still remains, especially in a number of problem areas. Harris Beach State Park in Brookings had the highest rate of exceedence in the state at 20%. Reported sources of beachwater contamination included: unknown sources (52%), sewage spills/leaks (13%), and sewer line cross connections and clogged ocean outfalls (33%). This highlights the need for identifying and correcting sources of beachwater contamination, one of the key elements included in the Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act currently being considered in Congress, take action and show your support to your Congressmen by clicking here. To read the full report, visit: http://www.nrdc/beaches
