The County of San Luis Obispo Environmental Health Department consistently monitored 5 new locations this year, making a total of 23 monitoring locations from as far upcoast as Hearst State Beach to a downcoast location at Pismo State Beach in Oceano. The additional locations now monitored weekly include two at Hearst State Beach, one at the projection of Pico Avenue in San Simeon, Sewers at Silver Shoals Drive and the projection of Spyglass Drive near Spyglass Park. Most samples are collected 25 yards north or south of the mouth of a storm drain or creek. For additional water quality information visit the San Luis Obispo County Environmental Health Department website.

Pismo Beach Pier. Copyright © 2004 Kenneth & Gabrielle Adelman. All rights reserved, California Coastal Records Project.

In San Luis Obispo, during wet weather, water quality was much better than the previous year’s extremely rainy wet season. This year, 8 of the 23 (35%) locations monitored received fair-to-poor grades compared to 83% in 2004–2005. Morro Bay City Beach north of the main parking lot, Sewers at Silver Shoals Drive, and Hazard Canyon in Montana de Oro State Park received wet weather A grades this year.

Sewage Spill Summary
There were five San Luis Obispo County beach closures due to sewage spills this past year. The total estimated volume spilled was 105,700 gallons. Two of the three major spills (=10,000 gallons) occurred during heavy rains in January. A spill of approximately 13,000 gallons into San Luis Creek caused a closure at Avila Beach for about a week, and the county’s largest spill occurred the same week with approximately 80,000 gallons released into Pismo Creek and closing Pismo Beach. A third major spill occurred back in August 2005, when approximately 10,000 gallons of sewage streamed to Avila Beach due to a computer glitch at the Los Osos Valley Road plant. Avila Beach was closed for 2 days.

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