Here are three important web sites you need to know about if you visit any Florida beaches:
Florida Beaches Water Quality – this web site shows the results of weekly tests done by 34 coastal counties to measure bacteria levels in the water. The counties test for enterococci and fecal coliform bacteria, which can cause illness, skin rashes, itching, or worse when levels get too high. Visit this website before you go to the beach.
http://esetappsdoh.doh.state.fl.us/irm00beachwater/default.aspx
Gulf Coast Beach Conditions – this is an amazing website where you can get daily beach reports as reported by lifeguards and state/county park rangers via mobile phones. Some even post a daily beach photograph! Among other things, they report water clarity, dead fish/red tide, surf height, wind speed and direction, seaweed on the beach (algae), etc. http://coolgate.mote.org/beachconditions/
Oil Spill Effects – This web site lists beaches all over the state and indicates which beaches may be under the threat of oil. http://www.myfloridaeh.com/BEACHnames.html
