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The County of Ventura Environmental Health Division monitored 56 locations on a weekly basis from April through October, from as far upcoast as Rincon Beach south of the creek (near the Santa Barbara County line) to a downcoast location at Staircase Beach, located at the north end of Leo Carrillo State Beach. Ventura County significantly diminished their winter water quality monitoring program again this year. Due to budget issues, this year regular monitoring occurred at only 11 locations from November through March at predominately surf and recreational beaches. Most samples were collected between 25 to 50 yards north or south of the mouth of a stormdrain or creek.
For additional water quality
information visit the Ventura
County Environmental Health Division website.
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| Peninsula Beach. Photo: Heal the Bay |
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| San Buenaventura Beach at San Jon Road drain. Photo: Heal the Bay. |
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AB411 2006 water quality at Ventura County beaches was very good (Figures 16 and 17), and proved to be the best water quality in Southern California again this year. Of the 56 water quality monitoring locations during summer dry weather, 54 (96%) locations received goodto- excellent water quality marks. Two monitoring locations received F grades during the summer dry months: Rincon Beach at the creek mouth and Kiddie Beach 50 feet south of Victoria Ave. The other four monitoring locations at Hobie/Kiddie Beach received A or B grades. Although not monitored year-round as they were in the past, four of the five Hobie/Kiddie monitoring locations exhibited good water quality for the summer dry weather months. Beachgoers should still use caution when choosing these sites and all other enclosed beaches. The historically problematic San Buenaventura Beach south of San Jon drain was not monitored year-round again this past year, but it did receive an A grade for the summer months. Ventura County wet weather water quality was much better than the state average (Figures 16 and 17). The two locations to receive F grades were Peninsula Beach north of the south jetty and three locations at Kiddie Beach.
Heal the Bay presents a brief trends assessment of Ventura County beaches by comparing this year’s percentage results with the previous three year average. The percentage of A grades fell a bit this past summer, but no beach scored below a B grade (Figure 18). Wet weather grades for Ventura County were slightly above the state average, perhaps due to the shortfall of rain this past season.
Sewage
Spill Summary
There was one known sewage spill that led to beach closures in Ventura County this past year. On July 18th, 2006, approximately 1500 gallons of sewage were discharged at Harbor Boulevard. Approximately 900 gallons entered the west end of the Ventura Marina. Affected locations in the harbor were closed until July 21st.
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