BUI Status:Beach Advisories

Since 2012

Prepared by: Samuel PeggJune 23, 2014

Chippewa Park

Chippewa Park

Rock Armored Breakwall

Main Swimming Area

Sandy Beach

Whiskey Jack Creek

Wildlife Exhibit

Confined Disposal Facility

Boulevard Lake

Dam

Sunny BeachSandy Cove

Lakeview (main beach)

Map of Sampling Sites for Boulevard LakeCourtesy of Thunder Bay District Health Unit

Boulevard Lake2013 Raw Sampling Data – Thunder Bay District Health Unit

Chippewa Park2013 Raw Sampling Data – Thunder Bay District Health Unit

June 2012Review and Analysis – Chippewa Beach Advisories

From Executive Summary:

In April of 2011, the Thunder Bay Remedial Action Plan (RAP) Implementation Committee held a meeting to discuss the steps necessary to resolve the bacterial contamination issue at Chippewa Park. During this meeting the committee determined that before a final decision could be made a summary of completed remedial actions, previous report, research and literature reviews should be compiled. This report provides a summary of this research and concludes with recommendations that will assist the City of Thunder Bay in managing Chippewa Park as a public recreational swimming area. ….

After review and analysis of the existing information the Thunder Bay RAP Implementation Committee has recommended that a risk management approach be employed to reduce potential sources of pollution at Chippewa Park. This type of approach will ensure that ecosystem services are enhanced despite the potential inability to dramatically reduce bacterial counts to an acceptable level.

This strategy should include the identification of primary sources of fecal pollution and implementation of pollution control plans for each contributing source. These plans should include, but should not be limited to, the management of stormwater inputs, upgrades of septic systems to provincial standards, implementation of a waterfowl management program, and completion of all feasible actions to improve water circulation.

December 2012 PAC Meeting Discussion as to whether to include “zero beach advisories” in the delisting criteria.

including a goal of zero advisories is realistically not an achievable goal and a setup for failure warmer summers and lower water levels could make this impairment even more difficult to address a great deal of money could be spent and the goal would still probably not be achieved natural phenomenon contribute to beach advisories.

Environment Canada staff recommended the Blue Flag program criteria be adopted. Most PAC members were unaware of this program. Information available at: http://environmentaldefence.ca/issues/blue-flag-canada The Blue Flag program has achieved considerable success in Europe Utilizing the Blue Flag goal for swimming through 80% of water samples taken seems practical and

attainable, even if Blue Flag is not specifically mentioned.

City of Thunder Bay personnel said they would encourage swimming at Sandy Beach rather than Chippewa’s main beach. Sandy Beach still has advisories but they are less frequent than the main beach of Chippewa.

Delisting criteria should not mention specific beaches, rather the more general term “public beaches”ACTION ITEM: Revise the delisting criteria for beach advisories, exclude reference to the Blue Flag Program but include the Blue Flag Program goal of meeting water quality criteria for swimming for 80% of water samples. These samples should be taken on a regular, frequent basis. Circulate the revised delisting criteria to appropriate Thunder Bay District Health Unit staff, City of Thunder Bay staff and also PAC members prior to final ratification of this delisting criteria at the January, 2013 PAC meeting. - COMPLETED

Beach Advisories Delisting Criteriaas of Dec 21, 2012

This beneficial use will no longer be impaired when:

all public beaches have identified primary sources of fecal pollution and pollution control plans have been developed and implemented, including:

management of stormwater inputs upgrades of septic systems to provincial standards implementation of a management program for birds and animals completion of feasible actions to improve water circulation water quality testing carried out at all public beaches on a regular, frequent and

ongoing basis demonstrates that 80% of geometric means have E. coli counts of 100 or less colony forming units per 100ml of water (Provincial Water Quality Objectives) based on a five year monitoring average.

City of Thunder Bay has approved this iterationThunder Bay District Health Unit asked that the highlighted words be included.

January 2013 PAC MeetingPAC Co-Chair Jean Hall-Armstrong called for a vote on the

revised Beach Advisories Delisting Criteria (as of Dec. 2012) - All voted in favour.

Those in Attendance (14): Jim Bailey, Sarah Da Silva (via teleconference) Jessi Dyczko, Frank Edgson (PAC Co-chair), Jean Hall-Armstrong (PAC Co-Chair) Curniss McGoldrick, Samuel Pegg, Bruce Pritchard, Matt Quick (recorder), Josh Singh, Rob Stewart, Heidi Strobl, Carl Taylor, Gordon Van Fleet.

March 2013PAC highlights that their future direction should

focus on: “North Harbour and Beach Advisories [as they] are

two issues with which the public can relate. In order to facilitate progress on both these issues, the PAC should endeavour to keep them in the public eye.”