MDEQ Beach Monitoring Program
Why It's Important
The EPA's Beach Monitoring Program helps protect public health by working with states, tribes, and local governments to monitor water quality at coastal and Great Lakes beaches. It focuses on detecting harmful bacteria and pollutants that can pose health risks to swimmers. Through the program, beaches are tested regularly, and advisories or closures are issued when water conditions are unsafe. It also provides funding, guidance, and tools to help improve beach monitoring and public notification systems, so communities can enjoy cleaner, safer recreational waters.
The Mississippi Beach Monitoring Program
The Mississippi Beach Monitoring Program application provides a comprehensive solution for beach water quality monitoring and public notification. Developed by The Geospatial Group, this Microsoft MVC application uses ESRI's JavaScript SDK and 3D map services to enable Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) scientists to enter bacteria data, which automatically triggers water quality advisories when readings exceed thresholds.
User Interface
Interactive Map Features
Resources & Notifications
Interactive Map Features
The Beaches Public Website opens with an interactive map of the MS Gulf Coast, displaying monitoring stations, beach segments, and any active advisories or closures. Icons on the left provide tools to zoom in or out, toggle to pan or rotate the map for 3D effects, reset the map orientation, and return to the default map view. A search bar
The Beaches Public Website opens with an interactive map of the MS Gulf Coast, displaying monitoring stations, beach segments, and any active advisories or closures. Icons on the left provide tools to zoom in or out, toggle to pan or rotate the map for 3D effects, reset the map orientation, and return to the default map view. A search bar allows users to find specific locations (e.g., "Beau Rivage") or addresses, with results restricted to MS Coastal counties. Clicking on a Station launches a pop-up window displaying station information, including whether there is an active advisory or closure, station description, last sample date, and a "Zoom to" button for quick navigation.
Historical Data Access
Resources & Notifications
Interactive Map Features
The Historical Data Screen provides a dashboard-style interface for viewing and searching station data. Users can select information by station, event type, and date range, then sort data by any column. Informational icons explain definitions of Historical Bacterial Results, Event Type, and Activity Type. All data results can be exported
The Historical Data Screen provides a dashboard-style interface for viewing and searching station data. Users can select information by station, event type, and date range, then sort data by any column. Informational icons explain definitions of Historical Bacterial Results, Event Type, and Activity Type. All data results can be exported to Excel with a single click. Similarly, the Historical Advisories/Closures page allows users to search for advisory history by station, date range, and advisory type, providing a comprehensive view of beach water quality over time.
Resources & Notifications
Resources & Notifications
Resources & Notifications
The More Info page provides Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and External Resources links that redirect users to partner websites. The Stay Informed page offers clear instructions on signing up for text notifications about beach advisories and closures, ensuring the public remains informed about water quality conditions. A contact form
The More Info page provides Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and External Resources links that redirect users to partner websites. The Stay Informed page offers clear instructions on signing up for text notifications about beach advisories and closures, ensuring the public remains informed about water quality conditions. A contact form allows users to reach the Beach Monitoring Coordinator directly with questions or concerns, making the application a comprehensive source for both information and communication.
Administrative Features
Data Management
The Monitoring Data Input screen provides a streamlined interface for adding multiple sample readings simultaneously. The system applies automatic date and time formatting and highlights missing required data. If any sample exceeds the bacteria threshold (≥104), the system highlights the row and displays a warning notification, ensuring MDEQ staff can quickly identify potential health concerns. Administrators can view historical monitoring data filtered by station number, date range, and other parameters, with complete export capabilities for further analysis.
Station Management
The Station Management page allows administrators to add, edit, or deactivate monitoring stations and beach segments with a user-friendly interface. Search functionality enables quick location of stations by number or name, while the map-based location editor provides precise geographic placement. Administrators can toggle station activation status with a simple eye button and update station attributes through intuitive modal windows, ensuring the application always reflects the current monitoring environment
Advisory Management
The Water Quality Advisories and Closures Management page enables authorized users to issue, update, or remove advisories in response to water quality conditions. When adding an advisory, users can specify the station, start date, event type, and detailed description. The system verifies end dates for active advisories before deletion, preventing accidental removal of current public health notifications. All advisory data can be filtered, sorted, and exported, maintaining a complete historical record of water quality issues.
User Administration
The Manage Users screen allows administrators to control access to the Beaches application through role-based permissions, including Administrator, Data Input, and Notifications Only roles. User management includes activation/deactivation controls, email updates, role assignments, and notification preferences. Only active users receive automatic alerts when thresholds are exceeded or advisories are changed, ensuring the right staff members are promptly informed of developing situations.