Cameron County Texas Beach Watch
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Cameron County Texas Beach Watch
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Is a Beach Watch
advisory in effect in Cameron County at this time?
No.
The popular recreational beaches of Cameron County are routinely monitored for the presence of intestinal bacteria. The monitoring is for Enterococci. Bacteria in this genus are abundant in the intestines of warm blooded animals, including humans. It is found in low numbers in unpolluted coastal waters, but its abundance increases with fecal pollution.
Recreational water is monitored for Enterococci not because of its particular danger to public health., but because it is an indicator of fecal pollution which might contain more pathogenic organisms. It is chosen for marine water because it is easily detected and because studies have show that the number of cases of gastroenteritis among bathers increases as the abundance of Enterococci increases.
No. Advisories are posted through signs on the beach at the monitoring locations and on this web site.
During August of 2002, the standards were changed to the following:
"A public advisory is recommended if the arithmetic mean of the two samples at a site exceeds 104 CFU/100ml, or if the running geometric mean of the arithmetic means of all samplings at a site within 30 days exceeds 35 CFU/100ml. The public advisory recommendation will remain in effect until these criteria levels are met through resampling."
In other words, two samples are taken at each site. If the average count is 104 colony forming units per 100 ml of sample, a public advisory is recommended. If not, all the averages at the site within the last 30 days are subjected to a statistical analysis. If this statistical average is 35 CFU/100 ml or more, a public advisory is recommended.
If a public advisory recommendation is in effect, the site is resampled every day or two until the above criteria are met.
The "running geometric mean" statistic plays down one or a few very high or very low readings.
If only one site in a beach segment exceeds the criteria levels, only that site is recommended for a public advisory, not the entire beach segment.
See maps
The South Padre Island beach at six locations within Cameron County Isla Blanca Park and the Town of South Padre Island.
The Boca Chica beach at six location from two/tenths of a mile south of Highway 4 to three/tenths of a mile north of Highway 4.
Every week from May through September; Every other week during other months.
When I go to the beach, how
do I know which areas of the beach are monitored and whether an
advisory is in effect?
Beach Watch signs are in place at each sampling site. The sign shows the Beach Watch logo (green triangle at top of page). When an advisory is in effect,the signs are changed to post the advisory.
Monitoring in Cameron County began in March 2000. Results are summarized on the Results Table.
No. This page is updated only when advisories are issued or removed or if the FAQ changes. However, the results table is updated after each sampling day.