Michigan Beaches
In Michigan, there are 472 public beaches on inland lakes and 411 public beaches on the Great Lakes, In 2005, local officials tested 294, or 60 percent, of inland lake beaches and 204, or 50 percent, of Great Lakes beaches.
There were nearly 100 beach closures in 2005, totaling 580 days. That is down from 140 closures in 2004 and 117 in 2003. Officials aren't sure why there was a dip, but they suspect it could be related to less rainfall, which means combined sewers aren't overflowing and farm runoff is reduced.
Much of the state's beach-monitoring efforts are financed through federal grants. The federal government is spending $10 million nationally on beach monitoring in 2006. Michigan receives about $278,000 of that.
May 30, 2006 6:30 AM | Category: Beaches