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There's a non-profit organization that acts to protect the public health
for millions of California beach-lovers who enter the near shore Pacific
Ocean waters. Called Heal the Bay, they first published a report on
beach health in 1990. As their importance grew with recognition
that not all is well with the world's oceans, it became apparent that
beachgoers knew little about the health risks of swimming in polluted
waters. When a sewage spill occurred, only then did the
understanding that there's a need for measuring water quality come
about. This effort, understanding and financial support grew each year
and finally, nearly the entire coast is monitored for water quality on a
regular basis. Although beaches were routinely monitored, the data was
either inaccessible or unusable to the public, however.
Legislation that includes statewide beach bathing water standards and
public notification bill (AB411), and a protocol for identifying sources
of fecal indicator bacteria at high-use beaches that are impacted by
flowing storm drains (AB538) have been passed and largely implemented.
Structural best management practices, coverage of over 350 locations
(460 from April through October) from Humboldt County to San Diego
County on a weekly basis, updated every Friday, and a web site that
makes the data available to anyone with Internet access, have all
empowered travelers, students, families, swimmers, surfers and those who
love the water. Heal the Bay advises California beachgoers to use
the information before they go to any beach in the state, in order to
better protect their health and the health of their families.
Heal the Bay Beach Report Card is
based on weekly water quality monitoring data provided by dischargers
and health agencies. The report is a comprehensive examination of
coastal water quality throughout California. Beaches are graded using an
A-F scale based on the risk of ocean users becoming ill. Samples are
analyzed for three indicator bacteria.
Summer 2006 Beach Water Quality Beaches
Need Improvement
Note: Keep checking the beach grades
for those listed below on www.healthebay.org. Some of the grades have
greatly improved and some fluctuate from A to F during the monitoring
periods. Awareness is your best defense against getting sick.
Alamitos Bay 2nd St.
Bridge
&
Bayshore
(F) Los Angeles County
Alamitos Bay - 56th Place on bayside
(F) Los Angeles County
Arroyo Burro Beach at Arroyo
Burro Creek (F) Santa Barbara
County
Avalon Beach between Busy Bee &
Tuna Club
(C)
Los Angeles County
Avalon Beach between Pier & Busy
Bee Restaurant 1/3, 2/3 distance
(F)
Los Angeles County
Avalon Beach between storm drain
&
Pier 2/3 distance
(F) Los Angeles County
Avalon Beach between storm drain
&
Pier 1/3 distance
(D)
Los Angeles County
Belmont Pier - east side
(F)
Los Angeles County
Channel Islands Harbor - Beach Park,
Kiddies Beach
&
50' downcoast
(F) Ventura County
Dana Point Harbor Baby Beach- West
End &
Buoy Line (D) Orange
County
Dana Point Harbor, Baby
Beach- Swim Area
(C) Orange County
Dockweiler State Beach at Ballona
Creek mouth (D) Los Angeles County
East Beach at Mission Creek
(C) Santa Barbara
Escondido Creek, just east of
Escondido State Beach (F) Los Angeles County
Haskell’s Beach (C) Santa
Barbara County
Hope Ranch Beach at Las Palmas
Creek (C) Santa Barbara County
Huntington State Beach at
Brookhurst (D) Orange County
Jalama
Beach at Jalama Creek
(D) Santa Barbara County
Long Beach at 3rd Place, 5th
Place, 10th Place, 16th Place, 36th Place, 72nd Place
(F) Los Angeles County
Long Beach at Colorado
Lagoon north, center, south (F) Los Angeles
County
Long Beach at Molino Ave.,
Coronado Ave. (F) Los Angeles County
Long Beach City Beach- projection
of Prospect Ave. (F)
Los Angeles County
Manhattan Beach at 28th Street
drain (D) Los Angeles County
Mission Bay, Bahia Point -
northside apex of Gleason Rd. (C) San Diego County
Mission Bay, Campland west of Rose
Creek, Leisure Lagoon &
Tecolate Shores Drain (C)
San Diego County
Mission Bay, Visitor's Center -
proj. of Clairemont (F) San Diego County
Mission Bay, Comfort Station north
of Leisure Lagoon (D) San Diego County
Mother's Beach - Long Beach -
north end, south end (F) Los Angeles County
Pacific Beach, P.B. Point 100 yds.
downcoast of Linda Way (D) San Diego County
Paradise Cove Pier at
Ramirez Canyon Creek mouth (F) Orange
County
Peninsula Beach- upcoast from
south jetty (D) Ventura County
Pismo Beach Pier, 50 feet
south of the pier (F) San Luis Obispo
County
Redondo Municipal Pier 100 yards
south (F) Los Angeles County
Refugio State Beach at Canada del
Refugio (F) Santa Barbara County
San Clemente Poche Beach (F)
Orange County
San Diego Bay, Bayside Park proj.
of J Street &
Tidelands Park proj. of Mullinix Dr.
(F) San Diego County
Santa Monica Pier (F) Los
Angeles County
Stillwater Cove, at Beach and
Tennis Club (F) Monterey County
Solstice Canyon at Dan Blocker
County Beach (F) Los Angeles County
Tijuana Slough NWRS, Tijuana
Rivermouth (D) San Diego County
Venice Beach at Frenchmans Creek
(F) San Mateo County
San Diego County
Beach Cities, Orange
County Beach Cities, Los Angeles County
Beach Cities, Ventura County Beach Cities, Santa Barbara County Beach
Cities, San Luis Obispo County Beach Cities, Monterey County Beach Cities,
Santa Cruz County Beach Cities, San Mateo County Beach Cities
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