Surfrider names beloved beach as dirtiest in Bay Area

Amy Larson
·2 min read

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — With Memorial Day weekend kicking off the unofficial start to beach season, the Surfrider Foundation released its annual Clean Water Report on ocean water quality.

“The Surfrider Foundation believes that everyone should have access to clean water to surf, swim and play in,” the foundation wrote.

One Bay Area beach that’s a hot spot for surfing, Linda Mar Beach, had high bacteria levels in more than 50 percent of water samples tested, Surfrider’s report found.

(Photo by JEROME BROUILLET/ AFP via Getty Images)
(Photo by JEROME BROUILLET/ AFP via Getty Images)

The report states, “In the City of Pacifica, Linda Mar Beach is a very popular surf break located at the mouth of the consistently polluted San Pedro Creek.”

During 2023, Surfrider’s Blue Water Task Force labs processed thousands of water samples collected from 567 sites. All BWTF test results were compared to state water quality standards set to protect public health. You can find water quality test results for your local beach on BWTF’s website.

9 priority beaches where Surfrider measured consistently high bacteria levels:

  • Linda Mar Beach Pacifica, California: 54% of samples collected failed to meet the state health standards in 2023

  • San Luis Creek Mouth San Luis Obispo, California: 35%

  • Imperial Beach San Diego, California: 100%

  • Kahalu’u Kahalu’u, O’ahu, Hawai‘i: 86%

  • Nāwiliwili Stream at Kalapakī Bay Līhu‘e, Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i: 100%

  • Mecox Bay Southampton, New York: 46%

  • Ballard Park Melbourne, Florida Park: 37%

  • View Kayak Launch Miami Beach, Florida: 73%

  • South Sound Thea Floss Floating Dock Tacoma, Washington: 47%

Surfrider-Beach-ReportDownload

Of the 9,538 water test results gathered in 2023, 67% indicated low bacteria levels, 11% indicated medium bacteria levels, and 22% measured high bacteria levels that exceed state standards.

The dirtiest water samples were “collected from freshwater sources, such as rivers, creeks, and marshes, which are influenced by stormwater runoff, or at beaches near these outlets,” Surfrider’s report states.

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