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Southern
California Beaches
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| Catalina Island's Avalon
Harbor exhibits the type of barriers that impede
water circulation at many enclosed beaches. Photo:
Heal the Bay |
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| Will Rogers Beach at Temescal Canyon in Los Angeles County -- an open ocean beach. Photo:
Heal the Bay |
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Once again, Heal the Bay analyzed the Southern California data (Santa Barbara to San Diego County) to determine differences in water quality based on beach type.
Most Southern California beaches were divided into three categories: open ocean beaches; beaches adjacent to a creek, river, or stormdrain (natural or concrete); and beaches located within enclosed waterbodies. The grades were analyzed for all three time periods: AB411 time period (April through October), dry weather year-round, and wet weather year-round. Figures 42 and 43 illustrate the grades by percent during dry weather for both AB411 (April through October) and year-round conditions.
Even with the minimal amount of rain received in Southern California this past year, the greatest disparity in water quality between beach types is seen during wet weather. Seventy-seven percent of open ocean monitoring locations received good grades, compared to 49% at stormdrain impacted locations, and only 37% at enclosed beaches..
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