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Water Quality Reports
County of Santa Cruz Environmental Health Services |
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Water Quality Reports
County of Santa Cruz Environmental Health Services |
The County of Santa Cruz Environmental Health Service provides
water quality information to concerned swimmers to alert them of possible
areas that may be contaminated by fecal coliform bacteria.
You can listen to the latest water quality updates by dialing (831)454-3188 and listening for the menu to find information about fresh water and ocean beaches. Click here for Recreational Water Quality Monitoring information.
For clarification of methods and interpretation of results please contact Steve Peters at (831)454-5010 or e-mail @ env032@co.santa-cruz.ca.us.
If you believe you may have been exposed to illness through water contact, please fill out an Illness Report.
Test results reflected below are the latest analysis of the locations indicated. NA indicates "not available at this time." TNTC indicates levels "too numerous to count". Safe swimming standards indicate that single-sample levels of enterococcus bacteria greater than 104 cfu's, E. coli bacteria greater than 400 cfu's, and total coliform levels greater than 10,000 cfu's per 100mls. of water may contain disease-causing organisms and be hazardous to swimmers.
Results are expressed in colony forming units, (cfu), of bacteria per 100 milliliters of water. Also included in this weeks ocean bacteria analysis for several of the more heavily visited beaches are results for Enterococcus and Total Coliform bacteria. A direct relationship between water-related illness and the levels of E. coli bacteria and total coliform bacteria exists when the E. coli/total coliform ratio exceeds 0.1 and the total coliform level exceeds 1000cfu.
For locations of sites sampled and past monitoring results, please refer to the Ocean Map.
Rainfall run-off from storm drains, creeks, and river mouths may contain high levels of contaminants.
These areas should be avoided for at least 3 days after rains have stopped.
The State of California has lifted the quarantine on sport-harvested shellfish that was extended October 31. This quarantine was extended this year because of an increase in the organism that causes red tide. Mussels, clams, and oysters are quarantined from May through October 31 of each year because of the possibility of red-tide caused toxins in the shellfish meats. Red-tides are caused by dense populations of single-celled algae.
The latest plankton samples, collected on November 19, showed high levels of Gymnodinium. This single-celled plant causes red tide but does not cause Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning, ( PSP), or amnesiatic shellfish poisoning. State Health Officials have determined that shellfish will not be harmful if eaten.
| Location | Fecal Coliform | Enterococcus | Total Coliform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Bridges Beach | 20 | 5 | 41 |
| Cowell Beach @ Stairs | 31 | 20 | 301 |
| Cowell Beach west of Wharf | 20 | 5 | 98 |
| Main Beach @ Boardwalk | 85 | 20 | 146 |
| Main Beach @ San Lorenzo River | 52 | 5 | 345 |
| Seabright Beach | 20 | 10 | 132 |
| Twin Lakes Beach | 20 | 10 | 41 |
| Sunny Cove Beach | 5 | 5 | 63 |
| Corcoran Lagoon Beach | 5 | 5 | 327 |
| Moran Lake Beach | 10 | 5 | 52 |
| Capitola Beach west of Jetty | 20 | 41 | 109 |
| Capitola Beach east of Jetty | 5 | 5 | 41 |
| New Brighton Beach | 20 | 5 | 74 |
| Seacliff State Beach | 10 | 5 | 20 |
| Rio del Mar Beach | 41 | 20 | 63 |
| Palm/Pajaro Dunes Beach | 5 | 5 | 10 |
Trends for Weekly-Sampled Sites (Fecal Coliform Bacteria):
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| Location | Fecal coliform (Cfu per 100 ml. Water) |
|---|---|
| Moore Creek @ mouth | 60 |
| Woodrow Creek @ mouth | 700 |
| Neary Lagoon @ California St. | 760 |
| Neary Lagoon @ mouth | 720 |
| Schwan Lagoon @ mouth | 1210 |
| Corcoran Lagoon @ mouth | 150 |
| Soquel Creek @ Capitola Beach | 1470 |
| Porter Gulch @ New Brighton Beach | 60 |
| Aptos Creek @ Rio del Mar Beach | 610 |
| Pajaro River @ mouth | 50 |
| Location | Fecal Coliform (Cfu per 100 ml. Water) |
|---|---|
| San Lorenzo River @ Trestle | 380 |
| San Lorenzo River @ Laurel St. | 410 |
| San Lorenzo River @ Sycamore Grove | 120 |
| San Lorenzo River @ Big Trees | 90 |
| San Lorenzo River above Love Creek | 240 |
| San Lorenzo River @ River St., B.C. | 430 |
