As temperatures rise throughout the Southland, droves of individuals will hit the seaside searching for a reprieve — however you may need to assume twice earlier than taking a dip close to one of many area’s most well-known landmarks.
For the second yr in a row, the realm across the Santa Monica Pier was named considered one of California’s dirtiest seashores by environmental nonprofit Heal the Bay.
The pier-adjacent seaside got here in at No. 2 this yr as a consequence of persistent water high quality points, based on the group’s annual Seashore Report Card.
Heal the Bay displays seashores alongside the California coast — testing water samples for fecal micro organism, together with coliform, E. coli and enterococcus. Excessive concentrations of those micro organism point out the presence of pathogens that might be dangerous to beachgoers.
Of the greater than 500 seashores that Heal the Bay monitored in 2024, the highest 10 dirtiest additionally included 4 in San Diego County, three in San Mateo County and one in Marin County. The tenth, and dirtiest, seaside on the listing was in Baja California, Mexico.
This yr’s seaside grades don’t account for wildfire runoff.
In January, rainfall and particles from the catastrophic L.A. County firestorm prompted officers to difficulty an ocean water closure and ocean water high quality advisory from Surfrider Seashore in Malibu to Dockweiler State Seashore at World Means in Playa del Rey. The advisories have since been lifted. Public well being officers say regardless of fire-related particles washing ashore, there’s little proof of fire-related toxins in ocean water in excessive sufficient concentrations to make somebody sick.
Heal the Bay continues to conduct separate testing particular to the fires and their results.
The Santa Monica Pier, particularly north of Pico and south of Wilshire boulevards, is Los Angeles County’s solely seaside to make Heal the Bay’s listing.
“Every single day, households who go to Santa Monica for a day of enjoyable within the solar could also be unknowingly risking sickness by splashing in polluted waters,” Tracy Quinn, chief govt of Heal the Bay, mentioned in an announcement. “It’s time for the Metropolis of Santa Monica to prioritize efforts to determine and cut back micro organism ranges on the Santa Monica Pier.”
Beachgoers stroll alongside the shore close to the Santa Monica Pier.
(David Butow / For The Occasions)
The seaside space received a low grade regardless of upgrades to the pier — together with stormwater seize techniques and fowl deterrent netting, based on the report. Air pollution for the pier stays an issue, worsened by city runoff and excessive ranges of water-contaminating actions, such because the disposal of fish guts from leisure fishing, which attracts seabirds.
In an announcement Thursday, town of Santa Monica mentioned it “continues to analysis and implement new methods to deal with the ocean water high quality immediately beneath the Santa Monica Pier, a really restricted space encompassing simply the ocean water 100 yards north and south of the Pier.”
These efforts are happening in partnership with Heal the Bay, town added.
“We’re proud that, due to many years of metropolis insurance policies and packages, Santa Monica’s three miles of shoreline constantly obtain an excellent well being grade,” the assertion mentioned.
Over time, Santa Monica has taken a number of steps to deal with water high quality underneath the pier — together with diverting storm water to town’s “Clear Seashores” tank.
Metropolis officers mentioned piers can pose a singular water high quality problem as a consequence of poorer circulation of ocean water.
Heal the Bay’s 10 dirtiest seashores
- Playa Blanca (Baja California, Mexico)
- Santa Monica Pier (Los Angeles County)
- Tijuana Slough at Tijuana River mouth (San Diego County)
- Hen Ranch Seashore at channel (Marin County)
- Linda Mar Seashore at San Pedro Creek (San Mateo County)
- Erckenbrack Park, Foster Metropolis (San Mateo County)
- Tijuana Slough, north of Tijuana River (San Diego County)
- Border Subject State Park at Monument Street (San Diego County)
- Imperial Seashore at Seacoast Drive (San Diego County)
- Pillar Level Harbor Seashore (San Mateo County)
Out of greater than 500 monitored seashores within the state, 62 earned a spot on Heal the Bay’s “honor roll,” a big enchancment from simply 12 seashores in final yr’s report and solely two the yr earlier than that.
Seven counties — Orange, San Diego, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Mateo and San Francisco — earned high-quality marks on this yr’s report, additionally a notable enhance from earlier years.
Southern California seashores sometimes dominate the dignity roll as a result of many counties in Northern and Central California don’t monitor water high quality year-round.
From April by October, state legislation requires county governments to check water samples. Nevertheless, counties should not required to observe water high quality throughout low season months, so many counties choose not to take action from November to March.
Orange County dominated the highest 10 listing of Heal the Bay’s honor roll for the second straight yr. Each seaside on that listing was in Orange County.
California’s prime 10 ‘honor roll’ seashores
- Balboa Seashore on the Wedge (Orange County)
- Balboa Pier seaside (Orange County)
- Capistrano County Seashore, South Capistrano Bay (Orange County)
- Crystal Cove State Park (Orange County)
- Dana Level Harbor (Orange County)
- Huntington Metropolis Seashore (Orange County)
- Laguna Seashore (Orange County)
- Newport Bay (Orange County)
- North Aliso County Seashore (Orange County)
- San Clemente Pier (Orange County)
The 62-beach honor roll consists of 34 in Orange County, 12 in San Diego County, and 7 in L.A. County. Ventura County has 5, San Mateo County has two and Santa Barbara and San Francisco counties every have one.
In L.A. County, the seven honor roll seashores are Dockweiler State Seashore at Grand Avenue, Hermosa Seashore, Lengthy Level in Rancho Palos Verdes, Manhattan Seashore at twenty eighth Avenue, Nicholas Seashore at San Nicholas Canyon Creek mouth, Nicholas Seashore 100 ft west of lifeguard tower and Portuguese Bend Cove in Rancho Palos Verdes.
In the course of the 2024 to 2025 monitoring interval, Heal the Bay says California noticed a noticeable enchancment in coastal water high quality, one thing the group attributed to a really dry summer time and winter.
With 9% much less rainfall this yr in contrast with the historic 10-year common, fewer pollution, reminiscent of micro organism, trash and chemical compounds, washed into storm drains and onto the ocean, based on the report.
Officers advocate staying not less than 100 yards away from storm drains and river shops when coming into the water and to at all times wait not less than 72 hours after it rains earlier than going within the ocean.
