Water Quality Report, May 2

Water quality at most beaches in San Diego County is safe for recreational use.    However, signs warning of contaminated water are posted at the following locations. 

Closures:  These beaches are closed to water contact due to sewage spills that may impact recreational waters.  

Tijuana Slough Nat’l Wildlife Refuge, and Border Field State Park.
Station:  The ocean shoreline from the U.S. / Mexico border to the south end of Seacoast Dr.
Status Since: April 20         
Reason:  Residual sewage contaminated runoff from the Tijuana Estuary

Advisories:  Water contact should be avoided at the following beaches due to bacterial levels that exceed health standards:

La Jolla
Station:  Children’s Pool
Status Since: Sept 1997        
Reason:  On-going contamination by harbor seals

Mission Bay, east
Station:  storm drain outlet south of the Visitor’s Cntr, to 300’ S
Status Since: April 25         
Reason:  Bacterial levels exceed health standards. Fecal coliform SSM and Enterococci Geomean

Mission Bay
Station:  Vacation Isle, north cove beach. 150’ each side of the storm drain
Status Since: April 29
Reason:  Bacterial levels exceed health standards

SSM –most recent sample exceeds single sample max
30 day Geomean standard – uses data from 5 or more samples

For beaches next to storm drains, rivers, and lagoon outlets:
During dry weather, avoid contact with runoff and recreational waters within at least 75 feet from where runoff enters ocean or bay waters. An epidemiological study has correlated urban runoff to an increased risk of illness among ocean users near these outlets.

Call the DEH Beach & Bay Water Quality hotline at 619-338-2073 for updated information, or log onto the DEH web site at www.sdcounty.ca.gov/deh/lwq/beachbay.  To see a map of monitoring stations and locations under warning for water contact, log on to www.earth911.org and select ‘Beach Water Quality’.   

Re-opened:   Field measurements indicate these waters are now safe for recreational use.  Signs have been removed at the following locations: 

Torrey Pines State Beach
Station:  Los Peñasquitos Lagoon outlet, to 300’ N & S.
Status Since: May 1

Shellfish Quarantine.
There is quarantine on mussel consumption due to risk of PSP or domoic acid poisoning for mussels taken from all coastal waters in California. For more information on the shellfish quarantine call 800-553-4133.

Contact your local lifeguard service for hazards associated with large surf and rip.

For more information log in www.earth911.org