Marina del Rey / Playa del Rey

Overview

Marina del Rey is the boating center of West Los Angeles, home to million dollar yachts and ancient dinghies. Visitors can take whale watching or fishing trips from the Marina, or even charter a cruise or arrange a trip to Catalina. Unfortunately, boats, and the accompanying structures, can bring water quality problems. Playa del Rey, just to the south, is a beach community home to Loyola Marymount University and the Hyperion Wastewater Treatment Plant, which treats sewage from all of Los Angeles.

Water Quality

The main swimming beach in the marina, Mothers Beach, has long-term pollution problems due to the lack of wave action and circulation. Although it has few waves, and the water is generally warm, it’s not a good place to swim. Dockweiler Beach just down the coast in Playa del Rey is a much better choice, though Ballona Creek’s outfall does contribute to water quality problems there. If you’re swimming at Dockweiler, check the Beach Report Card for your specific location, and make sure to avoid any outfalls.

Heal the Bay Gets Local

Mothers Beach has always been a large part of Heal the Bay’s work in Marina del Rey. We work on solutions to improve tidal circulation and educate people about avoiding polluted beaches. Heal the Bay was founded because of Hyperion Wastewater Treatment Plant, and we were very involved with the updating of this facility. Now, Hyperion is a world-class sewage treatment plant.

Calling All Stewards of the Sea

Heal the Bay volunteers who helped make the new marine protected areas (MPAs) a reality can now join our new citizen scientist program, MPA Watch. Staff scientist Dana Murray, who manages the program, says you don’t need to be an expert to lend a h…
Join Heal the Bay's new citizen scientist program MPA Watch

MPA 5-0

The California Department of Fish and Game is actively enforcing the new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), citing a Southern California man early Jan. 15 for poaching dozens of lobsters inside an MPA. According to a media release from the Department of …
A Southern California man received the first citation under new MPA laws

Design for the Greater Good

Can good design change the world? According to JUST DESIGN Socially Conscious Design for Critical Causes, a new book about communication design for the greater good, the answer is a resounding "Yes"! Containing more than 140 stories of socially-engag…
JUST DESIGN, a new book about communication design for the greater good

Steering Clear of Bad Fertilizer

“The same nutrients that make your grass grow also will make algal blooms grow if they wash down the storm drains and into the waterways,” notes Susie Santilena, an environmental engineer in water quality at Heal the Bay. …
Steering clear of bad fertilizer, zev yaroslavsky, susie santilena, runoff

Plastic Bags Get Bagged in SLO County

On Jan. 11, San Luis Obispo County became the 15th community in the state to pass a ban on single-use plastic bags in an effort to encourage citizens to use reusable bags instead. The California Grocers Association endorsed the proposal, as did repre…
On Jan. 11, San Luis Obispo County passed a single-use plastic bag ban

Mark Gold to Exit Post at Heal the Bay

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Jan.10, 2012) – Heal the Bay president Mark Gold announced today that he is stepping down from the environmental organization to accept a position at the University of California at Los Angeles as associate director of its …

Garden Smarter, Save Water

The Water Replenishment District (WRD) will offer a series of free classes for water smart gardening. Topics include drought-tolerant plants, irrigation basics, horticultural practices, and garden design concepts. Classes will be held …
Learn how to use smart garden techniques and save water

10 Ways to Heal: Watch and Learn

Even if you live miles from the ocean, there are some simple steps you can take in your home to protect your favorite beach (as well as your local neighborhood, park or river). Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing short, educational and fun vide…
Ten Ways to Heal the Bay

Reusable Water Bottles = Triple Bonus

Today’s guest blogger is Melissa Aguayo, Heal the Bay’s Speakers Bureau Manager The New Year is just around the corner, and we all know what that means… New Year’s resolutions. Some people like to focus on their health while others focus…
Reusable bottles are a bonus for your health, the environment and your wallet
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