Government Information that Can Help one Avoid Some Dangers of Open Water Swimming

1. Government Information that Can Help one Avoid Some Dangers of Open Water Swimming SaraJean Petite Government Resources Manager and Bibliographic Access Librarian Case Western Reserve University School of Law Presented at AALL Meeting, July 27, 2007

2. Introductory Material • I got involved with open-water swimming about two years ago, when I began training for triathlon. • As I was working, I realized that there was a great deal of government information relevant to this activity. • This presentation is intended to highlight some of that information.

3. Open Water Swimming • While the information sources in this presentation may be interesting, one should always heed warnings posted at a beach or given by a lifeguard.

4. Sources of Information • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is major source • Other helpful information is available from the EPA, NIH, and the Coast Guard.

5. Weather (General) • National Weather Service • NOAA Weather radio will give you the most up-to-date weather information. • General site at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/ • Marine weather at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/home.htm

6. Weather: Can you spot the Danger? Photograph taken by Suzi Harmon, January 1, 2007. Accessed via Cleveland Triathlon Club’s Photo Blog.

7. Weather (Water Temperature) • As the water temperature drops below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, one’s chances of hypothermia increase. (Graphic from Think Safe: Choose the Right Personal Flotation Device brochure published by the United States Coast Guard.)

8. Weather (Water Temperature) • NOAA’s National Oceanographic Data Center Coastal Water Temperature Guide • Current temperatures, but there are gaps • http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/cwtg/

9. Weather (Water Temperature)

10. Weather (Water Temperature)

11. Weather (Water Temperature) • NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service’s Sea Surface Temperature Contour Charts • Gives recent temperatures in degrees centigrade. • http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/contourthumb.html

12. Weather (Water Temperature)

13. Weather (Water Temperature)

14. Weather (Water Temperature) • NOAA’s Great Lakes Coastal Forecasting System • Forecast and recent historical temperatures • Gives times in GMT • Eastern Daylight Time is -4 hours. • Central Daylight Time is -5 hours. • Also contains information about air temperature, winds, waves, and water currents • http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/glcfs/

15. Weather (Water Temperature)

16. Weather (Water Temperature)

17. Weather (Water Temperature)

18. Weather: Can you spot the danger? Photo Courtesy of Delaware Sea Grant, accessed via NOAA’s website.

19. Weather (Rip Currents) • “Rip Currents are powerful, channeled currents of water flowing away from shore.”1 • Of weather-related causes, only heat kills more people than rip currents.2 • References: • http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/ • http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/resources/GCRL-128335-Article.pdf

20. Weather (Rip Currents) • For some areas, the National Weather Service has Rip Current Forecasts • http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/forecasts.shtml

21. Weather (Rip Currents)

22. Weather (Rip Currents)

23. Weather (Rip Currents) • Every year, NOAA has Rip Current Awareness Week • http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/week.shtml

24. Weather (Rip Currents) http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/signs/rip_current_sign.pdf

25. Weather (Waves) • NOAA Wavewatch • http://polar.ncep.noaa.gov/waves/main_int.html • Instructions: http://polar.ncep.noaa.gov/waves/pres/primer/primer_1.html

26. Weather (Waves)

27. Weather (Waves)

28. Weather (Waves) • NOAA Wavewatch Great Lakes Model • Gives wave height in meters • http://polar.ncep.noaa.gov/NEW.waves/

29. Weather (Waves)

30. Can You Spot the Danger?Hint: It’s not weather or boats. Photo of Huntington Beach (Bay Village, OH) taken by SaraJean Petite. Photograph of swim leg of 2001 Cleveland Triathon taken by Richard Petite.

31. Water Quality (National) • The Center for Disease Control has a beach page • http://www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming/beaches_rivers.htm

32. Water Quality (National) • One of the sources to which the CDC refers people is Earth 911. • Though it is not a government source, Earth 911 has partnered with local governments to provide information about beach water quality • http://www.earth911.org/WaterQuality/index.asp

33. Water Quality (national)

34. Water Quality (national)

35. Water Quality (national)

36. Water Quality (National) • The CDC also refers people to the EPA’s beach page. • http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/beaches/

37. Water Quality (National)

38. Water Quality (National) • The EPA’s BEACON system will let you find your beach. • http://oaspub.epa.gov/beacon/beacon_national_page.main

39. Water Quality (National) • BEACON is good for directing you to state sources.

40. Water Quality (National)

41. Water Quality (National)

42. Water Quality (National)

43. Water Quality (National)

44. Water Quality (state) • Ohio Department of Health Beach Bacteria http://www.odh.ohio.gov/odhPrograms/eh/bbeach/beach_samplemonitoring.aspx

45. Water Quality (state)

46. Water Quality (State)

47. Water Quality (State)

48. Water Quality (Local) • Ohio Nowcast (Cuyahoga County) http://www.ohionowcast.info/index.asp

49. Water Quality (Local)

50. Water Quality (Local)