Big seas have snatched tonnes of sand from Illawarra beaches and dramatically reshaped parts of the region's coastline.

Newly eroded sand cliffs line the beaches at Woonona, Towradgi and Wollongong City - the result of huge waves and a king tide measuring 2.2m.

Authorities strung safety tape over the walkways to Towradgi Beach yesterday morning to stop the unsuspecting meeting an unannounced 1.5m vertical drop carved into the other end overnight.

At Austinmer, the tide inundated the beach car park, but stopped short of crossing Lawrence Hargrave Dr as some had speculated.

Jackie Metzner, office manager at Lawrence Hargrave Dr trading securities business Tibra Capital, helped safeguard the building with sandbags on Tuesday afternoon as the power supply surged on and off.

"Everyone was on tenterhooks - we had never seen the swells the way they were," Ms Metzner said. "The water was still lapping up against the [beach side] footpath until about midday today.

"We're glad [the sandbags] weren't tested."

Woonona Beach remained inundated yesterday morning.

Resident Michael Barnett believes inappropriate vegetation planted to prevent sand blowing onto the road has made the beach particularly vulnerable to erosion.

The plant, he said, dropped leaf litter and nourished itself, growing in height and creeping towards the water line.

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Beaches take a hammering

CRYSTAL LAKE Local officials say its not a battle of the beaches, but some residents are drawing a line in the sand.

Some prefer Crystal Lake Park Districts Main Beach, while others are decamping for the city of Crystal Lakes newer Three Oaks Recreation Area. Both the park district and the city plan to enhance their facilities this summer, but leaders insist there wont be a recreational war fought with taxpayer dollars.

I dont see it as a competition, Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley said.

Neither facility is dependent on admission revenue, so there is little incentive to compete, he said.

He also dismissed the notion that the two governmental entities duplicate services.

Both Three Oaks and Main Beach add to the character of this community, Shepley said. And there are enough people here to support them.

Main Beach has been at the citys namesake lake since 1923.

For decades, it was the only beach in Crystal Lake.

But summertime crowds have decreased at Main Beach since the city of Crystal Lake opened Three Oaks Recreation Area for its first full summer season in 2011. The city spent $14.37 million to convert the former Vulcan Materials gravel pits into a park with a beach, marina, hiking trails and other features.

Both the city of Crystal Lake and the Crystal Lake Park District are working to upgrade their facilities.

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Battle of the beaches?

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VIDEO: Sewage discharge shuts beaches

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ThanetGazette commented Thanet beaches closed after sewage leak

TORONTO, June 5, 2012 /CNW/ - This summer, 17 beaches and four marinas will fly the Blue Flag in Canada. Blue Flag is an international eco-label awarded to beaches and marinas that meet high environmental standards.

And as the program marks its 25th year, Canada sees the first certified beaches and marinas outside Ontario. Manitoba, Quebec and Nova Scotia are receiving Blue Flags for the first time. B.C. is next in line, with Harrison Hot Springs Beach in the pilot phase of the program.

To be awarded a Blue Flag, beaches and marinas must meet four sets of criteria: water quality, environmental management, environmental education and safety and services. If a beach has a Blue Flag, people can be assured that it is clean, sustainably managed and great for swimming.

Worldwide there are 3,098 Blue Flag beaches and 646 marinas in 46 countries. Blue Flags have been awarded in Canada since 2005. Internationally, the program is managed by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), based in Denmark. Environmental Defence is the national operator of Blue Flag in Canada.

"More and more communities want Blue Flag recognition," said Brett Tryon, Blue Flag Coordinator for Environmental Defence. "They know it encourages environmental stewardship and engages people with the waterfront. Beach operators and volunteers have worked hard to earn this award and we are proud to see the Blue Flag community continue to grow."

Beaches and marinas flying Blue Flags for the first time this summer are:

They join 14 beaches and 3 marinas in Ontario that have been re-awarded Blue Flags:

"Grand Bend has always been known for its world renowned sunsets," said Mayor Bill Weber of the Municipality of Lambton Shores, Ontario, "but now, the Blue Flag designation lets the world know that our beach and marinas meet the highest standard for water quality, environmental management, environmental education and safety. Meeting these high standards is the result of community and staff support, and we feel it is a very important factor in attracting tourists to our area."

Several beaches are participating as candidates, including Canatara Park Beach in Sarnia, Ontario, Birch Cove Beach in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Harrison Hot Springs Beach in BC. These beaches could get a Blue Flag as early as 2013.

More details about the Blue Flag program and the certified marinas and beaches can be found on the web site at http://www.BlueFlag.ca.

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Good News for Summer: More Certified Clean Beaches and Marinas: 25th anniversary of international Blue Flag program ...

THANET'S beaches have been closed to swimmers after sewage was leaked into the sea following a following a failure at the Southern Water pumping station.

Experts are warning people not to bathe or walk below the tide line as a precautionary measure following the spill from the Foreness Point station.

Thanet's beaches have been closed after sewage leaked into the sea

Beaches were closed on Monday while the water company works around the clock to fix pumps which became blocked following heavy rain.

A Southern Water spokesman admitted that some sewage was continuing to leak from the station and that the situation could get worse if rain returns.

Beach cleaners and litter pickers are working along theThanet coastline to clear beaches of any raw sewage. It is likely that the beaches will be closed to bathers for a minimum of two days.

Thanet council has placed red flags on beaches and RNLI Lifeguards are warning the public.

Jon Griffin, Senior Environment Officer with the Environment Agency said: "The Environment Agency are carrying out a full investigation and are working with Southern Water Services and Thanet District Council to reduce the impact of the spillages as much as possible. We will continue to monitor the bathing water quality over the coming days and will advise Thanet District Council accordingly."

Excerpt from:

Thanet beaches closed after sewage leak

5 June 2012 Last updated at 06:41 ET

More than 20 Kent bathing beaches have been closed after sewage was discharged into the sea.

The closure of all beaches in Thanet was caused by a failure at the Southern Water Foreness Point Sewage Pumping Station after heavy rain.

Spokesman John Crooke said the pumping station discharged water which could otherwise have flooded homes.

Red flags are being flown at the beaches, many of which had recently won Blue Flag awards for cleanliness.

The beaches have been closed since Monday. Visitors have been told not to cross the high tide line.

Thanet District Council said they would stay shut for at least two days as a precautionary measure.

Last month, it was revealed that Thanet had more Blue Flag beaches than any other area in England.

The awards recognise high water quality and facilities.

Beach cleaners and litter pickers are on site whilst officers from the council and representatives from the Environment Agency and Southern Water Services fully assess the situation.

See the article here:

Sewage closes Blue Flag beaches

THANET beaches have been closed after a sewage discharge at Foreness Point.

A Southern Water pumping station spilled waste onto the foreshore and Thanet council decided to close all Thanet beaches for bathing as a precaution.

The public are advised to stay landward of the high tide line and refrain from entering the water until further notice.

Beach cleaners and litter pickers are on the Thanet coastline whilst council and Environment Agency offices work with Southern Water Services fully assess the situation.

It is likely that beaches will remain closed for at least two days.

Red flags have been placed on beaches and RNLI Lifeguards are informing visitors of the closures.

Jon Griffin, Senior Environment Officer at the Environment Agency, said: "We are carrying out a full investigation and are working with Southern Water and Thanet District Council to reduce the impact of the spillages as much as possible.

"We will continue to monitor the bathing water quality over the coming days and will advise Thanet District Council accordingly."

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Thanet beaches closed after Southern Water sewage pump discharge

The City of Ottawa's five beaches open June 16 but water experts hope they will remain open more this summer with lower E. coli levels and fewer wildlife feeding on leftover food.

Ottawa riverkeeper Meredith Brown says the city is not doing enough to stop rainwater running into sewers. City officials blame the E. coli problems on patrons who feed the wildlife.

That has pushed city workers to install low-fencing along Mooney's Bay beach to keep geese off the grass.

Click the video link above for a report from the CBC's Ashley Burke.

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Ottawa beaches seek bounce-back season

Photograph by Christian Heeb, LAIF/Redux

San Diego's Hotel del Coronado is the cornerstone of Coronado Beach, which tops a list of the top ten U.S. beaches for 2012, as chosen by coastal scientistStephen Leatherman, aka Dr. Beach.

Leatherman's annual ranking rates 650 public beaches on 50 criteria that include the presence of native plants, water quality, and overcrowding. Most of the 2012 beaches were also listed in the best beaches of 2011.

(See National Geographic Traveler's best summer trips of 2012.)

A 1.5-mile (2.4-kilometer) stretch of flat, sandy shore, Coronado Beach is great for skim-boarding and walking-plus, the mineral mica lends the sand a silvery sheen, according to the Dr. Beach website.

"Dr. Leatherman's annual list does a service by providing an incentive to keep American beaches clean and enjoyable for all," Jonathan Tourtellot, the geotourism editor for National Geographic Traveler magazine, said by email.

However, "his methodology does tend to give high weight to family friendliness and a bit less weight to the character of the beach locale," Tourtellot said. (Related: top ten U.S. family beaches.)

"Thus an urban beach like Kahanamoku Beach at Waikiki gets equal billing with more pristine surroundings like those at Coast Guard Beach in the Cape Cod National Seashore."

Leatherman noted by email that he also takes into account the "overall environmental quality and scenic aspects of the surrounding areasthese are factors in my 50 criteria."

Christine Dell'Amore

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Pictures: Top Ten Beaches of 2012 Named

A CAMPAIGN group that runs sewage alerts at 200 British beaches has accused the Scottish Government’s anti-litter charity of painting a rosy picture of beaches that are badly polluted.

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Seaside awards ‘painting over dirty reality’

Nassau County Beach (Photo Credit: discovery)

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) Health officials have re-opened 19 Long Island beaches that were closed on Saturday because of concerns about bacteria in the water after heavy rains.

This is routine through the bathing season, Nassau Health Department Spokeswoman Mary Ellen Laurain told 1010 WINS on Saturday. We start monitoring the beaches beginning in April through September, so this is as a precautionary measure because storm water runoff can impact the water quality.

The following beaches have re-opened:

Nassau County North Shore beaches *Centre Island Sound *Creek Club *Lattingtown Beach *Laurel Hollow Beach *Morgan Sound *North Hempstead Beach Park *Piping Rock Beach Club *Prybil Beach *Ransom Beach *Roosevelt Beach *Sea Cliff Village Beach *Soundside Beach *Stehli Beach *Tappen Beach

Nassau County South Shore beaches *Biltmore Beach Club *Hewlett Point Beach *Island Park Beach *Merrick Estates Civic Association *Philip Healey Beach

OK, now get off the couch and get on the beach! Offer your thoughts and comments in the section below

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Nassau County Health Officials Re-Open 19 Long Island Beaches

Nine beaches in Brevard County are among the hundreds across North America featured in a new smartphone app that helps users find close, clean beaches.

More here:

App highlights clean beaches

Manama, June 3 (ANI): Kuwait security officials have warned that wearing bikinis at public beaches is an act of indecency.

Link:

Kuwait warns against wearing bikinis on beaches

Health officials in Nassau and Suffolk counties temporarily closed beaches after heavy rainfall, citing a risk of large amounts of bacteria in the water.

Suffolk county officials have closed nearly all of their beaches on the south and north shore, and Nassau county has closed 19 beaches, included four along the Atlantic Ocean and 15 along the Long Island Sound.

Get the latest from NBC 4 New York anytime, anywhere. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google+. Get our apps here and sign up for email newsletters here. Get breaking news delivered right to your phone -- just text NYBREAKING to 639710. For more info, text HELP. To end, text STOP. Message and data rates may apply.

Excerpt from:

LI Officials Temporarily Close Beaches

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Last Updated: 4:23 PM, June 2, 2012

Posted: 12:27 PM, June 2, 2012

UNIONDALE Health officials have temporarily banned swimming at 19 Long Island beaches after heavy rain raised concerns about bacteria in the water.

Nassau County's health department says it has closed 14 beaches to bathing on Long Island Sound and five on the Atlantic coast.

Storm water runoff after heavy rains can wash all kinds of things into the water, but health authorities are especially concerned about bacteria from sewage.

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Bacteria levels close 19 Long Island beaches

Nassau County Beach (credit: Mona Rivera/1010 WINS)

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - Due to heavy rainfall, the Nassau County Department of Health has decided to close 19 beaches on Saturday for precautionary reasons.

Storm water runoff can have a negative impact by elevating bacterial levels, the Nassau County Department of Health said, and can affect bathing water quality.

WCBS 880s Sophia Hall reports

This is routine through the bathing season, Nassau Health Department Spokeswoman Mary Ellen Laurain told 1010 WINS. We start monitoring the beaches beginning in April through September, so this is as a precautionary measure because storm water runoff can impact the water quality.

The following beaches are closed:

Nassau County North Shore beaches *Centre Island Sound *Creek Club *Lattingtown Beach *Laurel Hollow Beach *Morgan Sound *North Hempstead Beach Park *Piping Rock Beach Club *Prybil Beach *Ransom Beach *Roosevelt Beach *Sea Cliff Village Beach *Soundside Beach *Stehli Beach *Tappen Beach

Nassau County South Shore beaches *Biltmore Beach Club *Hewlett Point Beach *Island Park Beach *Merrick Estates Civic Association *Philip Healey Beach

Nassau County residents, that should put a bit of a damper on some of your days. Sound off with your thoughts and comments in the section below

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Nassau County Department Of Health Closes 19 Beaches For Precautionary Reasons

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) Swimming beaches at two Missouri state parks will remain closed while the parks undergo construction and repairs.

Last years flooding along the Missouri River in northwestern Missouri caused extensive damage at Lewis and Clark State Park near St. Joseph. The parks day-use areas have reopened, but the Missouri Department of Natural Resources says the campground and swimming beach are still closed.

In southeastern Missouri, the opening of the swimming beach at Trail of Tears State Park has been delayed until further notice. The beach area has been affected by the lowering of water in Lake Boutin for construction work on a spillway.

All beaches at other state parks are open. Missouri environmental officials test the water near swimming beaches weekly.

Online:

Missouri state parks: http://www.mostateparks.com

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Repairs close beaches at 2 Missouri state parks

Tribune staff reports

HURON COUNTY Though it might be a bit chilly this weekend, Huron County health officials report all area beaches are within safe limits for swimming.

According to beach test results issued Thursday, all 13 area beaches tested this week were well below the 300 E. coli colonies per 100 milliliter (ml.) of water.

If a beach exceeds 300 E. coli colonies per 100 ml. of water, it is closed until new test results show its waters are below the 300 limit.

The program is funded by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Look to the Tribune for weekly results.

The Results:

Bird Creek

County Park 0.0027

Caseville County

Park 0.0027

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All beaches open for the weekend

Beach in Nikolaevka near Feodosiya, Crimea feodosia-otdyh.com Crimean beaches to be divided into categories Today at 14:32 | Interfax-UkraineCrimean beaches will be divided into five categories, and about half of the total number of Crimean beaches will be free to the public, Crimean Resorts and Tourism Minister Oleksandr Liyev has reported.

"This year we'll use 558 beaches, of which 219 will be free of charge," he said at a press conference in Kyiv on Thursday.

The minister also said the Crimean authorities had initiated a categorization of the beaches, according to which five categories equal to the hotel "star" categories will be determined.

"The categories will be indicated by seashells. Five seashells [will signify] a beach with Wi-Fi service, where there is rather good developed infrastructure, and information screens with current information about state of the shore area. The beach with one seashell corresponds to sanitary norms and has a minimal service set," Liyev said.

The minister said all beaches of the peninsula would go through the categorization procedure.

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Crimean beaches to be divided into categories