1 HEAL THE BAY // 2019 - 2020 2019-2020 Beach Report Card Heal the Bay is an environmental non-profit dedicated to making the coastal waters and watersheds of Greater Los Angeles safe, healthy and clean. To fulfill our mission, we use science, education, community action and advocacy. The Beach Report Card program is funded by grants from ©2020 Heal the Bay. All Rights Reserved. The fishbones logo is a trademark of Heal the Bay. The Beach Report Card is a service mark of Heal the Bay. We at Heal the Bay believe the public has the right to know the water quality at their beaches. We are proud to provide West Coast residents and visitors with this information in an easy-to-understand format. We hope beachgoers will use this information to make the decisions necessary to protect their health. 1 HEAL THE BAY TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTENTS 2019-2020 SECTION I: WELCOME EXECUTIVE SUMMARY................................................................... 5 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................7 SECTION II: WEST COAST SUMMARY CALIFORNIA OVERVIEW ...............................................................10 HONOR ROLL ...................................................................................14 BEACH BUMMERS ...........................................................................16 IMPACT OF BEACH TYPE ..............................................................19 30 YEARS OF THE BEACH REPORT CARD ...........................22 OREGON SUMMARY .....................................................................28 WASHINGTON SUMMARY ............................................................31 CALIFORNIA COUNTY SUMMARIES ........................................38 SECTION III: BEACH NEWS COVID-19.............................................................................................51 THE BEACH REPORT CARD IS COMING TO TIJUANA ......52 CLIMATE ACTION ...........................................................................52 FUNDING SHORELINE MONITORING PROGRAMS ............53 NOWCAST UPDATE .......................................................................53 RIVER REPORT CARD ....................................................................53 SECTION V: APPENDICES A // BEACH BUMMER HISTORY .................................................56 B // ALL GRADES BY COUNTY ...................................................58 C // FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ..................................76 D // METHODOLOGY .....................................................................78 E // ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & CREDITS ................................80 3 HEAL THE BAY // 2019 - 2020 WELCOME 4 HEAL THE BAY // 2019 - 2020 I WELCOME EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2019-2020 California beaches had excellent water quality during the summer months of 2019. Out of over 500 beaches across the state, 92% earned good marks (A’s & B’s) in the summer. The past year saw lower than average rainfall, which led to an improvement in wet weather water quality grades. Less rain means fewer pollutants such as bacteria were washed into the ocean, which resulted in higher grades. Winter grades in dry weather were also better than average this year, likely because the reduced rainfall resulted in fewer lingering effects of runoff during the winter months. ● ● San Mateo County had an ● Poche Beach at the creek Topanga Beach, which is no unprecedented number of Beach outlet in Orange County returned stranger to the Beach Bummer list, Bummers this year with six. The to the Beach Bummer list at number was Los Angeles County’s only number one Beach Bummer was two after a brief hiatus (it was on Beach Bummer occupying the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. Three the list in 2018, 2013, 2012, 2011). number five spot. locations in Pillar Point Harbor made San Clemente Pier made a second ● the list at numbers three, six, and ten. consecutive appearance as a Beach Mission Bay in San Diego Erckenbrack Park in Foster City took Bummer coming in at number nine. is once again home to a Beach the number four spot. Linda Mar at Bummer. Vacation Isle North Cove San Pedro Creek was the number is number 8 on the list. This beach seven Bummer this year. was a Bummer in the summer of 2009. 5 HEAL THE BAY // 2019 - 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY anniversary Most years we are unable to grade with 97% receiving A and B grades. To mark the 30th anniversary of Heal the majority of Oregon beaches Only Clallam County beaches were the Bay’s Beach Report Card, we due to a lack of sampling. Our sampled in the winter months so assessed water quality policies that methodology requires that beaches Winter Dry Grades were only issued this program has helped influence. are sampled for at least 75% of the to those beaches. Winter Dry Grades The most significant policy the weeks in their summer season — at Clallam County beaches were Beach Report Card influenced is defined as Memorial Day through superb, earning 100% A’s. Assembly Bill 411 (AB411) which was Labor Day. In this report, we had the first law in California to mandate sufficient sampling data to calculate This year, Heal the Bay is expanding recreational water quality. Another grades for beaches in Clatsop, Coos, the Beach Report Card to include notable policy is the Clean Beach Curry, Lane, Lincoln, and Tillamook three beaches in Tijuana, Mexico: Initiative (CBI), which allocated Counties. Summer Dry Grades were El Faro, El Vigia, and Playa Blanca. millions of dollars for water quality excellent in these counties with 100% These beaches are popular with improvement projects across the of the beaches receiving A grades. locals and tourists, but are impacted state. We also analyzed past data to Wet Weather Grades were good but by millions of gallons of raw sewage examine whether water quality has below the five year average with 80% that flow into the ocean through the changed over the last 30 years. We receiving A and B grades. Oregon Tijuana River and impaired sewage found that dry weather water quality beaches are not monitored in the infrastructure in parts of the city. has improved over time, but wet winter months so Winter Dry Grades We are partnering with Proyecto weather water quality has actually could not be calculated. Fronterizo de Educación Ambiental declined. We also found that after (PFEA) to help spread awareness 2015, when zero-point monitoring Washington’s Department of Ecology about water quality in Tijuana. was introduced, water quality samples water quality at ocean PFEA is an environmental nonprofit decreased in all categories. Zero- beaches between Memorial Day based in Tijuana whose mission point monitoring means samples are and Labor Day. The Makah Tribe is to monitor beach water quality; collected where pollution enters the in Clallam County monitors beach advocate for pollution reduction and ocean such as storm drain outfalls water quality on a weekly basis government transparency; assist or creek mouths and before any all year. Summer Dry Grades for restaurants with moving away from ocean dilution occurs. Ensuring that Washington were excellent with 95% single use plastics; and advocate for water quality standards are met at of the beaches receiving A and B conservation of protected areas and locations where pollution has the grades. Wet Weather Grades were environmental education. potential to be highest provides for exceptional and far above average the greatest public health benefits. 6 HEAL THE BAY // 2019 - 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION Thirty years ago people were getting sick from going in the ocean, and there was no way for them to know when or where they were at risk. Heal the Bay scientists used data from an epidemiology study they had conducted, and water quality data collected by government agencies, and created the first Beach Report Card (then titled Beach Pollution Report). The Beach Report Card transformed it is more important than ever to scientific data into easily-understood protect our water quality and our grades from A to F and made them beaches. There have been massive publicly available so any ocean user enforcement rollbacks by the EPA could understand the risk of getting which threaten to undo the progress Dr. Shelley Luce sick. Public concern over water made towards mitigating pollution Heal the Bay CEO & President quality grew from there as people in the ocean and atmosphere. We became aware of the size and scale need to act with urgency to protect crowding, because so many people of pollution in the ocean. Widespread our oceans and our communities, sought the open space and the awareness of water quality issues especially as the effects of climate peace of mind that our coast and eventually garnered support for change become more intense. ocean provide. Coastal access was foundational and transformative Protecting the environment protects restored unevenly across the state legislation such as California’s people and we must find solutions and in many cases, parking lots and AB411 and the U.S. federal Beaches to the ever-growing number of restrooms remained closed, limiting Environmental Assessment and existential threats. visits by people who do not live near Coastal Health Act (BEACH Act). the coast. This pandemic experience We know that our work is far from The COVID-19 pandemic has is a reminder of why it is so important over. With the numbers of people affected how people access the to protect our clean water and beach depending on the ocean for their beach. The initial safer-at-home access everywhere. recreation and livelihoods