The beach along Mud Bay Road in downtown Haines is a favorite among locals for its stunning views of the Takhinsha Mountains towering over the Chilkat River.
But the area – a go-to spot for dog walkers – is also known for another reason.
“People like to call it dog doo beach,” said Stacie Evans, science director at the Takshanuk Watershed Council, a local environmental nonprofit.
In May, Evans started taking water samples there and at two other popular beaches to find out if fecal bacteria is making its way into the water – and if so, how much.
At least so far, the samples have come back well below levels considered safe by state standards.
“People in the Chilkat Valley are recreators, and they get in that water a lot. They harvest from the water a lot,” Evans said. “And so I think by taking these samples, hopefully we can provide some peace of mind.”
The sampling in Haines is part of a broader, grant-funded program run by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. It’s been around for more than two decades, but it last tested for bacteria in Haines between 2011 and 2013.
“We’ve done quite a few different communities over the years, and it’s been 10 years since we’ve been in Haines,” said Gretchen Augat, who runs the initiative. “We just wanted to see what potential bacteria sources were in the area, and see if there’s anything in the water.”
Other than Haines, the program is currently monitoring for harmful bacteria on beaches in Juneau and Homer. The sampling will run May through September, both this summer and next.
This time around, Evans will collect samples in Haines every week along the dog beach, near Cars Cove, at Portage Cove by the cruise ship dock, and at Tanani Beach.
Evans emphasized that dogs aren’t the only potential source of fecal bacteria. Other animal feces from different parts of the watershed could also contaminate local beaches, as could drainage from the local landfill or sewage system.
“The sampling regime can detect if something goes wrong, also, which we don’t necessarily expect,” Evans said. “But, you know, if something happens, then thankfully we’re taking samples so we know.”
Augat pointed to Ketchikan as a place where monitoring has worked before. She said there was a string of years where sampling repeatedly revealed dangerous bacteria levels on more than a dozen beaches in the area. That helped the community turn the situation around.
“They did have quite a few different potential sources all the way along the coastline, and 13 of those beaches are listed on the impaired waters list,” Augat said. “Since that time, the community and the town and the borough have done a really good job at best management practices.”
