Heal the Bay Gives SM Beach A's, Mostly

Heal the Bay gave "A's" to nearly all Santa Monica beaches, in its monthly LA County Beach Report card issued on March 12, 2014.

A's or A+s, went to Santa Monica Beach at Santa Monica Canyon, Montana Avenue, Wilshire Blvd, Pico Kenter Storm Drain, Ocean Park Blvd, and Rose in Venice. The Municipal pier garnered a grade of B. It's typical for the Pier to stand in dirtier water than it's Santa Monica neighbors.

Marind Del Rey/Mother's Beach and the Lifeguard Tower, received F grades due probably to contaminants from boats, ships and yachts

The grades are based on levels of bacterial pollution as measured in the surf zone.

Heal the Bay's Beach Report Card is based on weekly water quality monitoring data provided by the City of Los Angeles' Environmental Monitoring Division, the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services and the County Sanitation Districts. Data is analyzed as soon as it is made available to us by the public agencies. The report is the only comprehensive examination of coastal water quality throughout Los Angeles County. Beaches are graded on an A–F scale based on the risk of ocean users becoming ill. Samples are analyzed for bacteria-enterococcus, total and fecal coliforms-that indicate biological pollution. Grading methodology information

Grades for this report are based on monitoring data from the previous four weeks up to the ending date on the masthead.

Heal the Bay reminds you not to swim or surf within 100 yards of any flowing storm drain and for 3 days after a rainstorm. After a rain, indicator bacteria counts at beaches throughout Southern California usually far exceed health criteria in the state's Beach Closure and Health Warning Protocol," Heal the Bay says.

"Heal the Bay is a nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to making Southern California coastal waters and watersheds, including Santa Monica Bay, safe, healthy and clean. We use research, education, community action and advocacy to pursue our mission," said the group in a statement.