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Partners

Oregon Beach Monitoring Program Partners

The Oregon Beach Monitoring Program works collaboratively with a variety of partners. This page covers these partners and their roles. 

Government Agencies

  • US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): The EPA is authorized under the BEACH Act (October 2000) to award grants to eligible states, tribes, and territories to develop and implement beach water quality monitoring and notification programs at coastal and Great Lakes recreational waters near beaches.
  • Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ): DEQ is a regulatory agency whose job is to protect and enhance Oregon's water and air quality, to clean up spills and releases of hazardous materials, and to manage the proper disposal of hazardous and solid wastes. DEQ is responsible for sample collection and analysis under the OBMP.
  • Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD): OPRD operates Oregon's state parks, including those along the coast. The agency's aim is to provide and protect outstanding natural, scenic, cultural, historic and recreational sites for the enjoyment and education of present and future generations.
  • Coastal County Health Departments: County health departments along the Oregon coast work to protect public health from environmental and other hazards. For more information about a particular county health department, visit any of the following:

Non-governmental Organizations

  • Surfrider Foundation: The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans, waves and beaches for all people, through conservation, activism, research and education.
  • Earth911: The mission of Earth 911 is to empower the public with community-specific resources to improve their quality of life. DHS works with Earth911 to alert citizens of beach advisories through a web-based reporting and mapping system.
  • Natural Resources Defense Council: NRDC works to preserve and restore the rich diversity of ocean life and the quality of coastal waters, and is one of the nation's leading ocean water quality watchdog groups.

Academic, Research, and Educational Institutions

  • Oregon State University - Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC): HMSC plays an integral role in programs of marine and estuarine research and instruction, as a laboratory facility serving resident scientists, as a base for far-ranging oceanographic studies, and as a classroom for students.
  • Oregon Coast Aquarium: The OCA is a private, not-for-profit aquatic and marine science educational facility dedicated to teaching about marine wildlife and ocean preservation. The OCA's youth volunteers and The Surfrider Foundation teamed up to create a Blue Water Task Force to monitor water quality along a 20-mile stretch of coastline from Ona Beach to Otter Rock. The sampling results are posted locally at two different surf shops in Newport, within the Aquarium, and on the Surfrider website.

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  • Coastal Chambers of Commerce: Oregon's coastal cities and towns offer rich opportunities for scenic beauty, recreation, shopping and relaxation - even with a water contact advisory in place. More information about specific Chambers of Commerce can be found online. 
  • Coastal Surf & Water Sports Interests: Surfing is one of the most widely used forms of full-body water contact recreation along the Oregon coast. For information on local and coastal surf shops, visit the following any of the following:
    • OregonSurf.Com - Contains a directory of surf shops, board shapers and surfing lesson providers. Also provides National Weather Service forecasting tools to forecast surfing conditions along the coast.
    • OregonSurfCheck.Com - Provides 1-hour updates on current marine and near-shore conditions using Navy WAM data, NOAA buoy data, and other sources.