Tybee Beaches		Status as of 2/5/2010
Polk St. Beach		Bacteria levels are elevated. Swimming at this beach is not advised.
North Beach at Gulick		Bacteria levels are acceptable.
Middle Beach at Center Terrace		Bacteria levels are acceptable.
Tybee Strand at Pier		Bacteria levels are acceptable.
South Beach at Chatham St.		Bacteria levels are acceptable.
St. Simons Beaches		Status as of 2/3/2010
North Beach at Goulds Inlet		Bacteria levels are acceptable.
East Beach at old Coast Guard Station		Bacteria levels are acceptable.
Massengale Park		Bacteria levels are acceptable.
Fifth St. Crossover		Bacteria levels are acceptable.
South Beach at Light House		Bacteria levels are acceptable.
Jekyll Island Beaches		Status as of 2/5/2010
Clam Creek beach		Bacteria levels are acceptable.
North Beach at Dexter Lane		Bacteria levels are acceptable.
Captain Wylly Crossover		Bacteria levels are acceptable.
Middle Beach At the Convention Center		Bacteria levels are acceptable.
South Dunes Picnic Area		Bacteria levels are acceptable.
South beach at 4H Camp		Bacteria levels are acceptable.
Saint Andrews Picnic Area		Bacteria levels are acceptable.
Other Beaches		Status as of  10/30/09
Blythe Island Sandbar		Bacteria levels are acceptable.
Dallas Bluff Sandbar		Bacteria levels are acceptable.
Contentment Bluff Sandbar		Bacteria levels are acceptable.
Reimolds Pasture		Bacteria levels are acceptable.
Other Beaches		Status as of 10/07/09
Skidaway Narrows		Bacteria levels are acceptable
Other Beaches		Status as of 10/08/09
Ossabaw North		Bacteria levels are acceptable
Ossabaw South		Bacteria levels are acceptable
Other Beaches		Status as of 10/28/09
Sea Island North		Bacteria levels are acceptable
Sea Island South		Bacteria levels are acceptable

check for current beach advisory news releases

What is a beach swimming advisory?

An advisory means that the Health Department recommends you NOT swim at the designated beach. It does not mean that the beach is closed. The beach is open but swimming is not advised.  The local county Health Department issues the advisory based on our weekly tests of the beach water.

What we test for....

We monitor all public beach waters for the presence of enterococcus bacteria and for fecal coliform bacteria. These bacteria are considered indicator organisms. The organisms are found in the fecal waste of humans and animals. When we find high levels of fecal bacteria in the beach water that indicates there is fecal matter in the water.

Why we test...

Human and animal fecal waste can contain disease-causing organisms. Swimming in water contaminated with fecal waste can expose the swimmer to illness. Swimming in those contaminated areas is NOT recommended.

Where do we test...  

We test the beach water on Tybee Island, St. Simons Island, and Jekyll Island weekly. We test other beaches along coastal Georgia monthly.

Are the fish safe to eat...

Yes. Fish caught in bacterially-contaminated waters should be washed and cooked thoroughly before eating. Wash hands thoroughly after handling raw fish.

More questions?

Click here to download a pdf document with the answers to some frequently asked questions.

Looking for data about the past year's beach advisories? Every year we report the number of advisories for Georgia beaches to EPA. The most recent report submitted the 2008 beach notification data. The 2009 data will be reported to EPA in January of 2010. Check out the EPA Beach Advisory and Closure On-line Notification (BEACON) system. Find your favorite beach and click on the historical data link.

For more information...

Contact the DNR Beach Water Quality Program at 912-264-7218. For health-related questions, contact the Glynn County Health Department at 912-264-9319 or the Chatham County Health Department at 912-356-2160.

The Beach Monitoring Program is a cooperative effort of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Resources Division and the Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health.