Beach Grant Program
Forecasted
Beach Grant Program supports Alaska communities, tribal governments, and watershed councils in monitoring coastal beach water and notifying the public to protect beach users from water-borne illness.
Funder: Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
Due Dates: No application deadline published
Funding Amounts: Award amounts and duration not published
Summary: Supports bacterial water-quality monitoring and public notification at Alaska’s coastal recreational beaches to protect beach users from water-borne illness.
Key Information: Grants support local communities, tribal governments, and watershed councils; interested participants should contact program staff to complete a beach survey.
Description
The Alaska BEACH Grant Program is administered by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation’s Division of Water and funded through an EPA BEACH grant. Part of a nationwide effort under the federal Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act, the program has collected water-quality samples at coastal recreational beaches across Alaska since 2002.
The program supports sampling for fecal coliforms and enterococci bacteria, which may indicate fecal contamination, alongside public notification when samples exceed allowable levels. These activities aim to reduce illnesses caused by contact with contaminated beach water. Beaches are selected using risk factors identified through community surveys, including the probability of fecal contamination and people’s exposure during recreation.
