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Beach Closure sign posted at Stoney Beach, Woods Hole, MA.

Beach Closure sign posted at Stoney Beach, Woods Hole, MA.
Beach Closure sign posted at Stoney Beach, Woods Hole, MA.
Beach Closure sign posted at Stoney Beach, Woods Hole, MA.
Beach Closure sign posted at Stoney Beach, Woods Hole, MA.
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Halliday, Elizabeth
Beach Closure sign posted at Stoney Beach, Woods Hole, MA.
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05/09/2008
Stony_Beach_closure.jpg
Caption from Oceanus online article:
Regular testing leads to beach closures if high levels of bacteria are found in the water. But the time needed to grow and count bacterial colonies inserts a lag time of days between sampling and when signs are posted. Beaches may be closed after bacteria have dispersed, or kept open when bacteria are present but not yet counted. New methods of detection based on identifying bacterial DNA one day may significantly shorten the time between sampling and results and let managers make more timely decisions about beaches.
Image Of the Day caption:
You never want to see a sign like this on a beach, especially right before the traditional Memorial Day start of summer. The waters off beaches are regularly tested to ensure that they don't contain unhealthful bacteria levels. But a lag time between when the water is sampled and when the results come in can cause beach closures after bacteria have dispersed, or openings when bacteria are present but not yet counted. In addition, beach sand is not regularly tested. New detection methods based on identifying bacterial DNA could significantly shorten the time between sampling and results and let managers make more timely decisions about beaches.
Photo by Elizabeth Halliday
© Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
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