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The
County of Santa Cruz, Environmental Health Services
monitored approximately 25 shoreline locations. 13 of these
were monitored frequently enough to be included in this
year's report. Santa Cruz County's monitored beaches range from as far upcoast
as Waddell Creek Beach at Waddell Creek near Big Basin Redwood Park to a downcoast
location at Palm Beach, near the Pajaro River. Most samples are collected at
the wave wash (where runoff meets surf), or 25 yards north or south of the mouth
of a storm drain or creek. For additional water quality information visit the
Santa
Cruz
County Department of Environmental Health Services website.
Dry
weather water quality at most beaches in Santa Cruz
County was very good. Of the 13 year-round water quality
monitoring locations, 93% (see Table 9 and Table 10) of
the locations received good-to-excellent water quality
marks. Some of the cleanest beaches were Natural Bridges
State Beach, Cowell Beach at the stairs, Seabright Beach,
Twin Lakes Beach, Seacliff State Beach, and Palm Beach.
Rio Del Mar Beach received a D for the summer months.
Although the water quality at Rio Del Mar Beach was excellent
up through July 2003, the August and early September
samples were so polluted that the overall grade was poor.
Wet weather water quality in Santa Cruz County was
very poor. This year, nine of the 13 (69%) locations
with wet
weather data received a D or F. Only two Santa Cruz
beaches received an A for wet weather.
Clean
Beach Initiative Summary
The City of Capitola, which received a $100,000 CBI
grant, is trying to integrate a number of storm drain
flow diversions as part of a large reconstruction project
in the upper portion of
Soquel Creek, so that the flows would be discharged to the sewage system instead
of Capitola Beach. In addition, the City would conduct
a wetland feasibility study to determine if wetlands
would help reduce bacteria in the lagoon and beach. Finally, the City proposes
to install bird barriers
and gull-proof trash cans in the immediate vicinity of the beach to discourage
the presence of birds in the area. The City of Santa
Cruz has spent most of their grant funds improving
wastewater
infrastructure and installing dry weather diversions for Main Beach, Cowell Beach,
and
Seabright Beach.
Sewage
Spill Summary
There were four reported sewage spills in Santa Cruz
County that led to beach closures, discharging approximately
53,400 gallons. The largest spill took place at Seascape
Beach, south of Hidden Beach, where an estimated 50,000
gallons of sewage was discharged over an unknown period
due to a severed sewer line. The three other sewage spills
took place at two locations, Opal Cliffs (34th and E. Cliffs at
Pleasure Point Beach) and Derby Park.
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