Does USEPA allow the use of models for posting beach advisories?
USEPA states that a monitoring program is essential to any beach-management program and recommends that the current E. coli laboratory method be used for assessing ambient waters and for making decisions concerning the protection of human health (USEPA 2002, p. 4-17). However, USEPA also states that modeling tools may be used to supplement, not replace, monitoring. Modeling tools can provide conservative estimates when there is a lag time between sampling the water quality and obtaining results. If models are properly developed and applied, they can be used in making beach advisory or closing decisions (USEPA 2002, p. 4-22).
