INDIVIDUAL BEACH INFORMATION

California has some of the most popular beaches in the country. Over 150 million day visits are generated by tourists and residents use them annually to swim, wade, surf, and dive. Beach visitors spend over $10 billion each year in California. For this reason, beach water quality monitoring and strong pollution prevention measures are critical for protecting beach goers from waterborne diseases. Indicator organisms from warm-blooded animals (total coliform, fecal coliform, E. coli, and enterococcus) may not cause disease in humans, but their presence tells us that water may be contaminated with organisms that do cause health impacts ranging from fever, flu-like symptoms, ear infection, respiratory illness, gastroenteritis, cryptosporidiosis, and hepatitis. We use indicator bacteria because direct identification of pathogens, such as viruses in ocean water is difficult, time consuming, and expensive. Not only can humans be affected by these organisms in the ocean, but research into the cause of mortality among the threatened southern sea otter population, shows that infectious agents have been caused by protozoal parasites and bacteria that are spread by fecal contamination of near shore marine waters by terrestrial animals.

• Beach Advisories or Beach Postings occur when at least one bacterial standard from the Ocean Water Contact Sport Standards issued by the California Department of Health Services, has been exceeded. Warning signs alert the public of a possible risk of illness associated with water contact. The placement of signs may be short term or more permanent where monitoring indicates repeated contamination (e.g. from a storm drain). Warnings may be posted where sources of contamination are identifiable and can be explained as not of human origin (e.g., resident marine mammals or seabirds) or of an unknown source.
• Beach Closures occur as a result of a known sewage spill that has the potential to reach coastal waters. A closure is a notice to the public that the water is unsafe for contact and that there is a high risk of getting ill from swimming in the water. When a beach is closed, signs are posted alerting the public to stay out of the water.
• Rain Advisories can be issued when it rains because it is known from past experience that rainwater carries pollution to the beach. After a rainstorm, bacteria levels usually exceed the State standards for recreational water use due to untreated storm drain flows that may contact motor oil, pet waste, pesticides, and trash.