California’s wet winter took a significant toll on beaches across the state, Heal the Bay’s new annual report card shows.
Only two beaches — Bean Hollow State Beach in San Mateo County and Point Loma in San Diego County — made Heal the Bay’s water quality “honor roll” in 2022. That’s the shortest honor roll Heal the Bay has ever had. The rest of California’s beaches were too inundated by runoff to meet the highest-quality standards for the year.
It was a different story during the summer months. From April to October 2022, 95% of beaches received an A or B grade.
As a part of its report card, Heal the Bay publishes a “Beach Bummer’s List” every year. These are the beaches in or near California with the most contamination. Four out of 10 were in San Mateo County.
Beach Bummers
1. Playa Blanca (Baja, Mexico)
2. Santa Monica Pier (L.A. County)
3. Linda Mar Beach (San Mateo County)
4. Marlin Park (San Mateo, County)
5. Erckenbrack Park (San Mateo County)
6. Tijuana River Mouth (San Diego County)
7. Pillar Point Harbor (San Mateo County)
8. Marina Del Rey Mother’s Beach (L.A. County)
9. Poche Beach (Orange County)
10. Gull Park (San Mateo County)
L.A. County dominated Heal the Bay’s list of dirty rivers.
Freshwater Fails
1. L.A. River at Riverfront Park, Compton Creek, and Tujunga Wash at Hansen Dam (tie)
2. L.A. River below Rio Hondo Confluence
3. L.A. River at Willow Street
4. L.A. River at Hollydale Park
5. L.A. River below Compton Creek Confluence
6. Bull Creek
7. Lake Balboa Boat Ramp
8. Las Virgenes Creek
Eight sites tied for first place on the “River Honor Roll.” These were the San Gabriel River East Fork at Graveyard Canyon; San Gabriel River Upper Cattle Canyon; Hansen Dam Lake; San Gabriel River Upper East Fork; San Gabriel River Upper West Fork; Big Tujunga Creek at Vogel Flats; Big Tujunga Creek at Delta Flats; and San Gabriel River Lower West Fork. Eaton Canyon and San Gabriel River Upper North Fork rounded out the top three.
Read the entire report here.
Lists and data were compiled by Heal the Bay.