This project will implement the beach monitoring program for the upcoming swimming season, including meeting performance criteria established by federal beach act to remain eligible for the beach grant

This grant will fund the recipient's efforts to collect water samples from designated recreational beaches in alaska. The water samples will be tested for bacteriological water quality and the public will be notified when the waters exceed the applicable water quality standards or beach notification threshold and when they are not safe for swimming. These public notification efforts will protect human health by reducing the risk to the bathing public of contracting diseases from contaminated water. This grant is to continue for alaska's implementation of the clean water act, beach act, public law no. 106-284, 114 stat. 970 [2000] for the state fiscal year (SFY) period of july 1, 2022 - june 30, 2023. Activities:the monitoring and notification program will consist of bacteriological water quality monitoring at recreational bathing beaches, public notification and risk communication of the sample results, measures to notify EPA, and a public evaluation component. The grantee will notify the public of a water quality exceedance by issuing an advisory or closure. This program will be consistent with national beach guidance published at the time of grant award. During this period the alaska department of environmental conservation (DEC) will complete four main tasks: 1) complete water monitoring during summer 2022 recreation season on three current projects (kenai, ketchikan, and hoonah) and close them out by march 2023, 2) review the data and import IT to WQX, 3) issue a request for proposals for new projects in the fall of 2022 with new projects to begin march 2023, and 4) pilot test and evaluate the accuracy of the virtual beach model concurrent with sampling on two kenai beaches and six ketchikan beaches.subrecipient:southeast alaska watershed coalition monitoring in ketchikan and hoonah beach monitoring. New cycle subawards to local organizations to complete monitoring activities on high priority beaches.outcomes:anticipated deliverables include submissions of water quality monitoring data and public notification actions and an annual summary report. The objective of the program is to reduce swimmer illness by providing the public with bacteriological information so they can make informed decisions about which beaches to attend. Beneficiaries of the program include all residents and tourists that visit the beaches. DEC staff will monitor two high priority kenai river beaches; oversee subgrant to monitor six priority ketchikan beaches for 7 sample events; oversee subgrant to monitor two recreational beaches in hoonah for 13 events during the 2022 recreational season. Adec will run concurrent to monitoring, DEC will run the virtual beach model for kenai and ketchikan.2) data review , submit and and QA of awqms system data. 3) fall request for proposals and sub-award projects. And 4) validate virtual beach model