Beach Report Card - California Coastkeeper Alliance

Executive SummaryHeal the Bay’s 21st Annual Beach Report Card SMprovides water quality information to the millions of people who swim, surf or dive inCalifornia, Oregon and Washington coastal waters. This is the first annual report to coverthe entire West Coast, with the debut of beach water quality grades from our northernneighbors, Oregon and Washington.The 2011 Annual Beach Report Card incorporates more than 150 additional monitoring locationsalong the coasts of Washington and Oregon. Essential reading for ocean users, the report card gradesapproximately 600 locations along the West Coast for summer dry weather and more than 324 locationsyear-round on an A-to-F scale based on the risk of adverse health effects to beachgoers. Thegrades are based on fecal bacteria pollution concentrations in the surf zone. The program has evolvedfrom an annual review of beaches in the Santa Monica Bay to weekly updates of beach monitoringlocations throughout California, Oregon and Washington. All of this information is available on Healthe Bay’s website, www.healthebay.org, and at www.beachreportcard.org.Recreating in waters with increased bacteria concentrations has been associated with increased risksto human health, such as stomach flu, nausea, skin rashes, eye infections and respiratory illness. Beachwater quality monitoring agencies collect and analyze samples, then post the necessary health warningsto protect public health. Poor water quality not only directly threatens the health of swimmersand beachgoers, but is also directly linked to ocean-dependent economies.Ocean water quality monitoring is vital to ensuring the health protection of the millions who recreatein coastal waters. Since the Annual Beach Report Card was first published more than twenty yearsago, beachgoers throughout California have come to rely on the grades as vital public health protectiontools. Now, residents and visitors of Oregon and Washington beaches will have the same criticalinformation at their fingertips.West Coast Beach Water Quality OverviewMost California beaches had very good to excellent water quality this past year, with 400 of 445 (90%)locations receiving very good to excellent (A and B) grades during the summer dry time period (California’sAB411 mandated monitoring from April to October). Year-round dry weather grades were alsovery good, with 284 of 324 (88%) locations earning A or B grades. Lower grades during year-round dryweather included 12 Cs (4%), 12 Ds (4%) and 16 Fs (5%).Southern California (Santa Barbara through San Diego counties) summer dry (AB411) weather grades(91% A and B grades) were actually slightly better than the state average. In the San Francisco Bay Area(Marin through San Mateo counties), the summer dry weather ocean-side grades were excellent with95% (40 of 42) of locations receiving an A or B grade. The bay-side’s water quality slipped slightly with73% (19 of 26) A or B grades compared to 81% (21 of 26) last year. 60% (41 of 68) of these Bay Area lo-7