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Meet Dr. Patzert: The Surfing El Niño Geek

10.08.2015 |

Heal the Bay Aquarium

Bill Patzert may be a JPL super-scientist and El Niño geek, but he really is a fun guy, says Heal the Bay vp Sarah Sikich. Come hear him speak next week at our Aquarium.

I’m very excited to announce that Dr. Bill Patzert, a leading climatologist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will be joining us for El Niño week at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium on Oct. 13 for a feature presentation, “Whiplash: From Super Drought to El Niño.”  Dr. Patzert’s forecasting prowess has earned him the nickname “Prophet of California Climate.” His work involves improving our understanding of Earth’s climate and important environmental problems ranging from El Niño, La Niña and longer-term climate forecasts. I’ve enjoyed talking with and learning from Dr. Patzert at meetings and science forums over the past several years. With a quick wit and fresh sciencey style, he makes forecasting and environmental science fun. He also loves to surf! He joined me for a little appetizer Q&A to get you ready for the special event:

What piqued your interested in science, and compelled you to pursue it as a career?

My dad was a sea captain and taught me celestial navigation, shooting the stars and the sun with a sextant. At night he would point out the North Star and the many constellations and tell me about the mythology of each. This was heady stuff and fascinating for a budding geek. Many men and women have inspired me. My parents were supportive and stimulating. They loved ideas, education and the natural world. Many of my mentors and professors were superb. And, reading Rachel Carson’s “The Sea Around Us” opened new worlds to me. I also had the good fortune to spend a week with the late Arthur C. Clark at his home in Sri Lanka. Wow, what a great guy! He encouraged me to be fearless and let my imagination soar.

You received your Ph.D. in Hawaii?! You must have taken some study breaks to enjoy the beach. Do you have a favorite beach or snorkel spot on the islands?

Honestly, I chose Hawaii for graduate school so I could surf (which I did and still do), check out the ladies at Waikiki and blast my eardrums with the great music of the 60’s – The Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, etc. I surfed and dove every Hawaiian Island and much of the South Pacific. It was sweet!

El Niño vs. The Blob: who wins?

El Niño trumps The Blob. Come to my talk to find out why.

With the recent discovery of water on Mars, have you considered taking your oceanography skills to space?

There is no space more important than Earth space. I’ve got my hands full here at home. I follow and admire the research of my Martian buddies here at JPL, but fending off man-made climate change keeps me Earth bound.

What are your hobbies when you need a break from climatology?

I’m a reader, a mystery junkie. Mysteries are addictive! Good historical novels are a treat, too. I collect art of all types… my tastes are eclectic. I have Mexican folk art, Japanese prints, Persian rugs and, my prize collection – Hawaiian surf shirts. For exercise, I do some biking, romantic walks on the beach, some swimming and surfing, and have good intentions of being fitter. And, I raise cacti and succulents.  I love HBO.

You can read more about Patzert’s take on the coming El Niño, which he describes as “too big to fail,” in this week’s interview with the Los Angeles Times.

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Thank You Thursday 9-24-15

09.24.2015 |

Santa Monica

We couldn’t do our work without the committed volunteers that are the backbone of Heal the Bay. This is especially true in the month of September, when we coordinate Coastal Cleanup Day for LA County.

On September 19th, 9,475 volunteers removed 21,310 pounds of trash from over 60 miles of territory (including three underwater sites). A huge thank you to everyone who cleaned our beaches, parks and waterways on a sweltering Saturday, and to the LA County Board of Supervisors and the Coastal Cleanup Day site captains.

We are so grateful to our sponsors:

Mattel, REI, City of Santa Monica, LA Department of PublicWorks, the California Coastal Commission, Anheuser-Busch InBev, simplehuman, Union Bank, and Kaiser Permanente.

The Wednesday before Coastal Cleanup Day, Heal the Bay gives more than 700 students from underserved schools a day at the beach, where they learn about ocean conservation through a series of games by the shore and visit the marine life at our Santa Monica Pier Aquarium It’s all-hands on deck for this action packed day, and by the time the kids are back on their buses, staff and volunteers have worked up an impressive appetite. Thanks to Grey Block Pizza, we weren’t hungry for long. The donation of a variety of delicious pies was greatly appreciated.

And it was so neighborly – and generous – of Rusty’s Surf Ranch on the Pier to name our Aquarium as their beneficiary during Santa Monica’s Buy Local/Get Local week. Rusty’s donated a portion of the week’s sales to the Aquarium.

Heal the Bay will receive proceeds from General Admission of Venice’s sales at this weekend’s Abbot Kinney Festival as well.

And lastly, thanks to the Environmental Learning Center at Hyperion for hosting our Speaker’s Bureau training this August.  Congrats to the 19 new volunteers who graduated from the training.

 

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Heal the Bay’s 10 Greatest Moments

08.11.2015 |

Marine Protected AreasNews

A completely subjective list of when Heal the Bay has shone the  brightest.

 After 30 years of achievement, Heal the Bay can sometimes be taken for granted. Many Angelenos view us as they do their utilities – always on, always working, not requiring a lot of thought. So as we begin our fourth decade, here’s a crash-course reminder of how we’ve continuously healed the Bay.

 

1. SPAWNING A MOVEMENT

Heal the Bay founder Dorothy GreenMeeting in her Westwood living room in spring 1985, housewife Dorothy Green and schoolteacher Howard Bennett mobilize a small squad of grassroots activists to conquer ongoing pollution in Santa Monica Bay. Brilliantly taking its mission as its name, Heal the Bay is officially born later that year.

 

2. FIRST FIGHT

Hyperion wastewater treatment plantThanks to intense lobbying from Heal the Bay and a federal consent decree, Hyperion Treatment Plant agrees in October 1986 to stop dumping partially treated sewage into Santa Monica Bay.  Sewage pollution levels in the Bay have since decreased by more than 90%.

 

3. THE FISHBONES

Heal the Bay's first fishbones logoVolunteers Gabrielle Mayeur and Sherry Johannes unwittingly create one of L.A.’s great brands in October 1987.  Their evocative and provocative fishbone logo creates instant recognition for the fledgling organization.  Whether it’s slapped on a skateboard or a Prius, the fish remains a powerful marker for L.A.’s tribe of ocean lovers.

 

4. MAKING THE GRADES

Heal the Bay's Beach Report CardAiming to protect the health of millions of ocean users, Heal the Bay publishes its first Beach Report Card in 1992, giving A-to-F grades to local beaches based on levels of bacterial pollution. Developed by outspoken executive director Mark Gold, the grading program shines a bright light and eventually helps secure $200 million in state funds to clean up chronically polluted beaches.

 

5. MINDS IN THE GUTTER

Stormdrain stencilThe first storm drains stenciled for our Gutter Patrol Program in October 1992 reminded would-be litterers that “This Drains to the Ocean.” Volunteers paint more than 60,000 catch basins with our message and logo over two years, connecting residents throughout L.A. County to their watersheds and our work.

 

6. TAKING IT TO THE LIMIT

Outflow drainpipe TMDLArguing that impaired water bodies in Los Angeles and Ventura counties are not being adequately remediated, Heal the Bay files an intent to sue the EPA in December 1997. A settlement compels the EPA to create 92 “Total Maximum Daily Load” limits over 13 years. With these measurable benchmarks in hand, Heal the Bay can now pressure dischargers to reduce pollution levels or meet stiff fines. The new TMDL model is copied nationwide.

 

7. SCALING UP

Heal the Bay's Santa Monica Pier AquariumHeal the Bay gets into the aquarium business by acquiring UCLA’s Ocean Discovery Center in March 2003 for the princely sum of $1. The rechristened Santa Monica Pier Aquarium becomes a beachhead for our youth education programs. We’ve since inspired more than 1 million guests to become better stewards of our local ocean and watersheds.

 

8. BANKING ON THE FUTURE

Ahmanson Ranch MalibuAfter years of pressure from Heal the Bay, Washington Mutual agrees in November 2003 to sell Ahmanson Ranch at the headwaters of the Malibu Creek watershed to the State of California.  The coalition of environmental advocates, scientists and celebrities successfully preserves 2,300 acres of open parkland and 20 miles of streams, thereby reducing pollution and protecting several threatened species.

 

9. YOSEMITES OF THE SEA

Marine Protected AreasEnsuring a vibrant local ocean for generations to come, Heal the Bay’s policy staff leads an often contentious process with the state and anglers to create 52 Marine Protected Areas along the Southern California coast in January 2012. Our most biologically rich underwater habitats get a reprieve from human pressures, allowing depleted stocks in such areas as Malibu and Palos Verdes to recover and thrive.

 

10. IT’S IN THE BAG

Los Angeles Plastic bag banHeal the Bay’s programs and policy staff spearhead a plastic bag ban in Los Angeles, which in January 2014 becomes the largest city in the nation to take on Big Plastic. The unanimous City Council vote triggers a nationwide debate about sustainability and catalyzes other bans throughout the country.

 

 

Help us win 30 more years of victories.

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Thank You Thursday: July 2015

07.30.2015 |

News

Cindy Crawford and Heal the Bay president Alix Hobbs at Duke's MalibuIt’s not every night we get to schmooze with a supermodel. And when the schmoozing takes place overlooking the ocean, well, what could be more perfect? Thanks to our friends at Dukes of Malibu for donating the room with a view. And special thanks to Cindy Crawford for joining us late last month for the evening of drinks and small bites.

Our Santa Monica Pier Aquarium’s Science Adventures Camp crew had a thrilling day walking the planks and riding the rides at Pacific Park during the camp’s Pirate Week. Pacific Park kindly gave us a special pirate rate. We arrrrgh grateful!

Everyone should be thankful that the Special Olympics World Games are underway right here in SoCal. Seeing the athletes around Los Angeles, cheering them on at athletic events or witnessing the Opening Ceremonies on July 25th are all inspirational moments. Heal the Bay thanks our board member Stephanie Medina for providing staff with the opportunity to attend the opening ceremonies at the LA Memorial Coliseum. Stephanie is Sr. Vice President, Community Relations, of the Special Olympics. Bravo, Stephanie!

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So, the drought’s over, right?

07.20.2015 |

Los Angeles StormwaterNews

July 20, 2015 — A thunderstorm in July? You can thank Tropical Cyclone Dolores. But while the deluge was a delight for many, the drought is far from done.

This weekend’s storm smashed July precipitation records throughout California and brought much-needed relief to the wildfires that raged alongside Interstate 15 between L.A. and Las Vegas. However, lest we get lulled into a false sense of drought security after the downpour, here’s a few reminders to bring us back down to Earth:

  • A couple storms over a period of months won’t stop a 4+ year drought. Yes, they provide relief, but we need over 2 FEET of rain to put any significant dent in the drought. Water conservation measures must be the new normal for desert-dwellers like us. Sporadic storms are the exception to the rule.
  • We get most of our water from elsewhere. SoCal imports around 85% of its water from the Eastern Sierras, Northern California and the Colorado River–regions that were not affected by this weekend’s storm. This is one reason why Heal the Bay is working on efforts to beef up our local water supplies.
  • Groundwater is at an all-time low. We’ve been sucking our wells dry since the drought began, so it’ll take a truly massive influx of water–think 11 trillion gallons–to replenish them. This could take years.

Ready for another reality check? This one’s a real mind-blower:

On an average dry, non-rainy L.A. day, around 10 million gallons of urban runoff flows, untreated, into the ocean. When it rains, the runoff making a beeline to the beach soars to over 10 BILLION gallons per day.

 Yes, it’s true: There is currently no mechanism in place in L.A. to capture and reuse this precious gift from above in significant amounts. Yet. Stormwater capture is one of Heal the Bay’s Top 3 Drought Fixes, and we’re making it happen.

And last but not least: We understand how tempting it is to head to the beach for some relief from the heat and humidity–and snag some leftover swell from Dolores. But we urge you to put your health and safety above all else and remember the Big Three Beach Safety Tips following any rainstorm:

  1. After a rainfall of any severity, wait at least 3 days before entering the ocean.
  2. Always swim at least 100 yards away (the length of a football field) from a stormdrain outlet.
  3. Check the Beach Report Card for the most recent beach water quality grades before you head to the beach.

For more safety tips, visit our Beach Report Card FAQ page.

 

California drought map
This graphic shows how much more rain California would need to approach normal precipitation levels.

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That’s #MyBag, Baby! A Reminder to Reuse

07.01.2015 |

Take Action

July 1, 2015 — Sarah Sikich, Heal the Bay’s vice president, commemorates what would have been a historic day for California by rallying shoppers to shun the plastic bag and show off their reusable bags.

The plastic bag war has not been won. Yet.

California’s historic ban on single-use plastic bags would have gone into effect today. Instead, hordes of plastics industry representatives swarmed our state over the past year in an effort to undo this landmark law.

Flashback to September 2014, when Governor Brown signed SB 270 into law, enacting the nation’s first comprehensive single-use bag law. The twofold measure would ban plastic bag distribution at grocery stores, pharmacies and other retailers, while requiring a minimum charge for paper bags. We were excited for California to become the first state in the nation to make shopping more sustainable by incentivizing reusable bags. But while the Governor’s signature was still drying on the bag ban, Big Plastic spent over $3 million on a signature-gathering campaign that ended up putting the ban on hold until November 2016. But we’re moving forward anyway, and we need your help.

In the absence of a statewide bag law, we are urging everyone to go reusable and show off your green cred. Join our #MyBag social media campaign by posting a selfie showing off your eco-chic reusable bags. Post your sustainable selfie to Instagram, Facebook or Twitter and include a short statement about why you support California’s plastic bag ban. Don’t forget to tag #MyBag or #MiBolsa to spread the word!

#MyBag Heal the Bay Employees
While you are busy sharing your green shopping experience, local governments continue to take a stand against plastic pollution. Since 2007, 137 California cities and counties have adopted bans on single-use plastic bags, curbing costly and unsightly plastic bag pollution. The City of Los Angeles alone spends an estimated $36 million each year on litter clean-up and abatement, of which a large amount is plastic bags. Here in the L.A. area, Hermosa Beach is the next community poised to ban the bag.

Californians use over 13 billion single-use plastic bags every year. The average shopper uses 500 single-use bags each year. Your vote and your actions count. Implementation of California’s landmark bag ban may have been delayed, but it’s not derailed. Post your #MyBag selfie, spread the word, talk with your friends.

Together, we can end the plastic bag plague once and for all.

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Thank You Thursday: June 2015

06.24.2015 |

Nick Gabaldón DaySanta Monica

June 24, 2015 — We love celebrating Nick Gabaldón Day each May, recognizing the first documented surfer of African-American and Mexican descent, and showcasing the heritage of the historical African-American beach site in Santa Monica, formerly referred to as the “Inkwell.” Gabaldón’s legacy and his passion for the ocean has inspired many surfers of color and continues to inspire us. We are so thankful for the support of the following groups and individuals who make this day possible:

And mostly, three cheers to all the brave youth from Alliance Neuwirth Leadership Academy and Concerned Black Men International who took the plunge and surfed their hearts out!

Coastal Cleanup Day – scheduled for Sept. 19th this year – will be here before we know it; thank you, REI for already contributing to help us make the biggest volunteer day on the planet a success.

Nick Gabaldon Day

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Meet Brittany: Intern Guardian of Our MPAs!

06.24.2015 |

Marine Protected AreasNews

June 24, 2015 — Brittany Hoedemaker is a summer intern for Heal the Bay’s MPA Watch. She is currently an Environmental Studies student at the University of Southern California. Here, she writes about her first time conducting an MPA Watch survey and her observations of those mysterious oil blobs that have since been confirmed to originate from the Refugio Oil spill in Santa Barbara.  

As an intern at Heal the Bay working on the MPA Watch program, I’m spending my summer completing fieldwork along the beautiful beaches in Los Angeles’ marine protected areas. With miles of Southern California’s beaches covered with the mysterious oil blobs that first made their appearance along Manhattan Beach in late May, it could not have been a better time to be out there surveying our coastlines. 

After getting trained on how to complete MPA Watch surveys, I headed out with my fellow interns to Westward Beach to conduct an MPA Watch survey in the Point Dume State Marine Reserve (SMR). There, we practiced identifying consumptive (fishing) and non-consumptive activities (surfing, tidepooling) occurring within the Point Dume Reserve. Some activities we observed included sunbathing, swimming and even rock climbing. We were happy to see our fellow Angelenos enjoying the marine protected area while also keeping it clean and respecting its wildlife. 

Our field training continued from the beach up onto the bluff at Point Dume, where we learned to identify different types of boats and to gauge the three nautical mile distance from the shore that marks the boundary of state waters and the MPAs. To everyone’s delight, our boat-watching turned into whale watching, as three gray whales—including a calf—surfaced right below our vantage point on the bluffs. This incredible sight was a reminder of the importance of our MPAs, and a confirmation of the strategic establishment of the Point Dume SMR. The SMR encompasses an upwelling zone and a submarine canyon, providing food for the whales on their path to the Arctic.

The field training also reminded us of why our work and our MPAs are so important, as a contour of oil blackened the mean high tide line. MPA Watch interns and volunteers have been tasked with documenting and reporting the extent of oil blobs on our beaches–and we’ve already seen quite a bit. Heal the Bay will continue to provide updates from the oil spill at Refugio Beach and the connection to the recent spike in oil on our L.A. beaches. 

As we walked away from Point Dume with tar on our shoes and clipboards in hand, we felt a renewed drive to heal the Bay. We can’t do it alone, though.

If you see oil blobs on the beach, please call the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802.

If you see an oiled animal or wildlife in distress, call the OWCN response hotline at 1-877-823-6926.

Also, take pictures (with an item in the frame for size reference) and post to Instagram with a geotag and #healthebay.

And remember: Please don’t touch the oil!

Westward Oil Blobs

(Clockwise from left: Tar on Westward Beach; Oil blob on Santa Monica beach; Tar on Santa Monica Beach looking toward the pier)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 SM Pier Oil Blobs SM Pier Oil Blobs

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BEACH REPORT CARD JUNE 17, 2015

06.18.2015 |

News

School’s out for summer… but the grades are in for California’s beaches!

The Report

News Releases

Media Coverage

Californians heading to the shoreline this summer will be heartened by continued excellent water quality at beaches statewide, according our 25th annual Beach Report Card.

Heal the Bay analysts assigned A-to-F letter grades to 468 beaches along the California coast for three reporting periods in 2014-2015, based on levels of weekly bacterial pollution. Some 95% of beaches received A or B grades during the summer (April-October 2014). That figure is essentially steady with the last year’s report.

Overall, only 13 of the beaches monitored statewide received D to F grades during summer dry weather, when most beachgoers typically use the ocean. High bacteria counts at these sites are linked to potential illnesses like stomach flu, ear and upper respiratory infections and major skin rashes.

Southern California had excellent summer dry weather water quality with 97% A or B grades. Summer dry weather grades in the San Francisco Bay area (Marin County through San Mateo County) were also excellent with 93% (39 of 42) of ocean-side locations receiving A or B grades.
 
The severe drought now impacting California appears to be a major contributing factor to generally strong water quality at beaches statewide. With record low rainfall reducing the amount of polluted runoff funneled into our seas, beach grades across the state are consistently outperforming their five-year average.
 
Beach water quality grades may be higher in a given year due to less runoff, yet the resulting improved water quality may be providing a false sense of long-term beach water quality improvement. While low rainfall totals have led to significantly improved water quality statewide, it should be noted that California often swings from extended dry periods to shorter periods of intense, wet weather.
 
In response, Heal the Bay’s policy staff is advocating for a public funding measure to build infrastructure projects that capture, cleanse and reuse stormwater rather than dumping it uselessly into the sea. Progressive city planning, smart public infrastructure and so-called Low Impact Development in the private sector would turn a nuisance into a resource.
 
Nearly one in four monitored beaches in California received F grades for wet weather in the report, a figure that raises public health concerns for the state’s growing legion of year-round surfers, paddle-boarders and divers. The marked seasonal difference in water quality is why Heal the Bay recommends that ocean-users avoid the water for at least three days after a storm.
 
Heal the Bay’s annual Beach Bummer List, a ranking of the state’s 10 most polluted beaches,  is evenly split among beaches in Southern and Northern California. Cowell Beach in Santa Cruz has the dubious distinction of topping the list for a second year in a row. New entrants this year include Mission Bay at Clairmont Drive in San Diego, Candlestick Point/Sunnydale Cove in San Francisco and Huntington State Beach at Brookhurst in Orange County.
 
This Year’s Top 10 Beach Bummers

  1. Cowell Beach – at the wharf (Santa Cruz County)
  2. Marina del Rey – Mother’s Beach (Los Angeles County)
  3. Clam Beach County Park (Humboldt County)
  4. Marina Lagoon (San Mateo County)
  5. Mission Bay at Clairmont Drive (San Diego County)
  6. Stillwater Cove (Monterey County)
  7. Candlestick Point/Sunnydale Cove (San Francisco County)
  8. Santa Monica Pier (Los Angeles County)
  9. Cabrillo Beach harborside (Los Angeles County
  10. Huntington State Beach at Brookhurst (Orange County)

 

Honor Roll and Beach Bummers

 

It’s not all bad news. Some 19 beaches in the state were named to Heal the Bay’s Honor Roll, meaning they were monitored year-round and scored perfect A+ grades every week of the year, regardless of dry or rainy conditions.
 
Most of the California coastline earned A grades throughout the summer reporting period. Some 94% of L.A. County beaches received A or B summer grades, a 10% increase from the county’s five-year seasonal average.  Beaches in Orange County earned summer grades of A or B at 99% of locations. San Diego County also scored very well, with 96% of it monitored sites earning A or B marks. However, both counties each placed one site on the overall Top 10 Beach Bummer List.
 
Moving up the coast, 100% beaches in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties earned A grades during the summer. Nearly nine in 10 San Luis Obispo County beaches notched A grades. Some 75% of Santa Cruz beaches scored A summer grades, but it also had two beaches receive F grades. Monterey County beaches, which had a few underperforming sites, earned 76% A or B marks in the summer.
 
Further north, 81% of San Mateo County beaches scored A grades, and were dragged down by two failing beaches during the summer reporting period. Some 78% of San Francisco locations received A or B grades for the summer in the report, slightly below its five-year summer average. Marin County and Sonoma counties each had 100% of beaches earn an A summer grade. Mendocino and Humboldt counties earned mixed grades.
 
A new model: ‘Nowcasting’ water quality

This summer Heal the Bay and Stanford University have implemented a pilot program at three beaches in Southern California to test the effectiveness of new predictive beach water-quality tools. Using sophisticated statistical models, the scientific teams are aiming to accurately predict water quality at historically troubled beaches.

Final results of pilot study are due this fall, but promising early results indicated that beach managers may be able to post a warning notice immediately at pollution-impacted beaches rather than waiting for bacteria testing, which can days to complete. These new models will protect public health by providing more timely and advanced water quality information.
 
Read the full report

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A Fresh Take on Water Quality Testing

06.17.2015 |

News

June 17, 2015 — Katherine Pease, watershed scientist, reports back on Heal the Bay’s first plunge into freshwater quality testing at three local swimming spots in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Here at Heal the Bay we care deeply about water quality and public health. Our Beach Report Card has been helping beachgoers and swimmers make informed decisions for many years about where to go with their friends and family for a safe day at the beach.

But what about freshwater?

That was the question we hoped to answer last summer in a pilot project to assess usage and water quality of popular freshwater swimming holes in the Santa Monica Mountains. We selected three locations for our pilot study: the Rock Pool in Malibu Creek State Park, Las Virgenes Creek at the first bridge crossing in Malibu Creek State, and Solstice Canyon waterfall on National Park Service land.

A dedicated team of staff, interns, and volunteers visited each site approximately twice a week from the end of June to the end of September. At each visit, we recorded the number of visitors and swimmers as well as demographics of the visitors to identify communities possibly at risk and to help guide any future outreach. We collected site data (air and water temperature, amount of trash, presence of animals in the water, and water clarity, color, and smell) and a water sample, which we then processed in our laboratory to test for E. coli, and Enterococcus, two kinds of fecal indicator bacteria. Fecal indictor bacteria are not necessarily harmful themselves but they indicate the possible presence of disease-causing microorganisms. Water contaminated with these microorganisms can lead to illnesses such as gastroenteritis and upper respiratory infections as well as more serious diseases. Bacteria and other microorganisms can come from human waste (leaky or malfunctioning septic tanks, sewage leaks) as well as animal waste (dogs, horses, birds) that enter the waterbody directly or through runoff.

Since this was only a pilot project, we didn’t have the ability to share our results immediately with the public. But after several months of data analysis and number crunching, we’re able to reveal some key findings in the table below:

 

Site Water Quality Usage by Swimmers
Las Virgenes Creek Very Poor Consistent
Rock Pool Poor to Moderate Heavy
Solstice Canyon Good Minimal

 

Unfortunately, we found high levels of fecal indictor bacteria, particularly in Las Virgenes Creek and at the Rock Pool. At Las Virgenes Creek, 61% of the samples were over the limit for Enterococcus, while 28% of the samples were over the limit for E. coli. At Rock Pool, 22% of the samples were over the limit for Enterococcus, while 11% of the samples were over the limit for E. coli. At Solstice Canyon, 10% of the samples were over the limit for Enterococcus, while none of the samples were over the limit for E. coli.

Read our full study report here, which also includes information on how to get involved with the Stream Team volunteer corps.

In conclusion, we found that there are likely public health risks at popular swimming spots in the Santa Monica Mountains, particularly in Malibu Creek State Park. Based on our observations, the community most at risk is the Hispanic community and particularly families at Las Virgenes Creek. There is a need for bilingual signage, education, and outreach so that at a minimum, all visitors can be informed that there is a potential risk to swim in Las Virgenes Creek and Rock Pool. We plan to meet with staff from LA County Department of Public Health, State Parks, and the National Park Service to discuss our results and advocate for public health protection. We hope to continue monitoring water quality this summer to determine whether the trends stay consistent.

On a personal level, I was struck by the interest and excitement of the public in what we were doing. Visitors were curious to know if the water was safe to swim in. I had one memorable conversation with a man from North Hollywood who was visiting Rock Pool for the first time. He watched us carefully for a bit, then asked what we were doing. He was there with his family, including a young daughter. That morning when they arrived at the swimming hole, his daughter asked him who makes sure the water is safe and OK to swim in. He didn’t know the answer. So, when he saw us there, he was happy to see that someone was testing the water and thanked us profusely.

While the results from the pilot are indeed concerning, we’re reluctant to completely discourage people from swimming at the three sampling sites. Rather, we advocate using caution and common sense if you choose to take a dip at a local swimming hole:

  • Don’t swallow any water.
  • Avoid swimming if you have any cuts or sores.
  • After taking a dip, be sure to shower with soap. 

And, of course…there are always the beaches! Check the Beach Report Card for the latest water quality grades at your favorite beach, and we’ll continue our work on improving water quality across the Santa Monica Bay–in both fresh and ocean water.  

Malibu Creek Rock Pool

An idyllic scene from Rock Pool in Malibu Creek State Park

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