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Last year the County of Santa Cruz Environmental Health Services monitored approximately 25 shoreline locations. However, only 13 of these were monitored frequently enough, year-round, to be included in this 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.
Overall dry weather water quality at all beaches in Santa Cruz County was very good. During the summer dry weather months, all but three Santa Cruz beaches received As (Figures 15 and 16). The three beach locations that did not receive As received Bs (Cowell Beach west of the wharf, Main Beach at the Boardwalk, and Main Beach at the San Lorenzo River). Even year-round water quality was very similar to the summer dry weather time period, with only two less A grades. Rio Del Mar Beach showed tremendous improvement from its summer dry weather grade of D on our 2003-2004 report by receiving a perfect mark of A+ on this year's report.
As with every coastal county in California that monitored
water quality during the rainy season this year, wet weather
water quality in Santa Cruz County was very poor. 10 of
the 13 (77%) locations with wet weather data received a D
or F. Only Natural Bridges State Beach and Pajaro Dunes
State Beach received an A or B grade in wet weather.
Sewage
Spill Summary
There were zero (0) reported sewage spills in Santa Cruz
County that led to beach closures.
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