Great Lakes vs ocean beaches

The BEACH Act covers both coastal and Great Lakes beaches. Eight states border the Great Lakes: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Different water, different indicators

EPA's recreational water criteria use different indicator bacteria for fresh and marine water. Freshwater programs commonly test for E. coli, while marine programs commonly test for enterococci. That affects how results are reported, though not the attributes shown here.

How it shows in the attributes

Great Lakes beaches usually carry the waterbody type "Still Water" and a lake name such as Lake Michigan. Ocean beaches are usually "Open Coast" or "Sound, Bay, or Inlet". Browse Michigan or California to compare.

Seasons

Great Lakes swim seasons are short, so monitoring is concentrated in summer. Southern ocean beaches may be monitored for much of the year.