California Beach Report Card
It’s Safe to Go Back in the Water
Sep 28, 2008 Michelle Lee Lutz
Summer has come to an end, and Heal the Bay a non-profit organization which surveys the cleanliness of Southern California’s waters has just released their end of summer water report. The beaches overall have seen decent improvement, but it may not stay that way as Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has eliminated all state funding for beach monitoring.
Heal the Bay
The non-profit organization has been monitoring the beach of California for 10 years now, following the implementation of California Assembly Bill 411. This bill was created to develop minimum standards for California beaches, any frequently visited beach was required to be monitored at least once a week during the summer months. Since the implementation of this bill the water quality has improved dramatically, as bacteria levels were monitored and controlled.
The Best Beaches
Many of the beaches received good scores according to the California Summer Beach Report Card; of the state's 514 beaches, 91% received A or B grades, which mean excellent or very good water quality. Not including Los Angeles County, nearly 97% of the state's 405 beaches received A or B grades, with only six locations receiving failing marks. San Diego county who has had a difficult time this summer having closed their beaches eight times after a sewage spill neat the Tijuana River, actually scored among the top in the Report receiving A to B grades.
Among the Worst
According to an article published in The Los Angeles Times September 26 2008 by, Tami Abdollah, “Los Angeles County beaches received the lowest marks in the state, with nearly one in five beaches receiving F grades. Malibu's famed Surfrider received a D. Long Beach had the most polluted beaches.” Nearly half of Los Angeles' 25 monitored beaches received C to F.
Why is the Water Polluted?
Most ocean pollution stems from runoff. The Los Angeles River is a main source of high bacteria levels in Los Angeles County, and this is a major reason as to why bacteria levels are particularly high in L.A. County waters. According to Heal the Bay’s report, “Paradise Cove is one of the most chronically polluted beaches in Los Angeles County. Septic systems utilized by the mobile home park have suffered from repeated leaks and overflows, proving to be extremely detrimental to the ocean water quality.” The L.A. Harbor and sewage runoff continue to be the largest source of ocean pollution.
The Future of Water Quality
Many are skeptical of the future for water quality, as the California budget cuts have resulted in the absence of any state funding for the program. But through the ten year stretch of the program a lot has been discovered and the water Report Card Scores have improved. The Heal the Bay website includes beach reports, and offers a way to give back, including volunteer opportunities through Heal the Bay.
Beach at Sunset
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Sunset
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