Foster City Has 3 Beaches on List of California’s “Most Polluted”
By Olivia Wynkoop, Bay City News Foundation
Foster City, which had three of its beaches end up on a list of the state’s worst in an annual report released by the non-profit organization Heal the Bay, said Wednesday that it has been working with a consulting firm since earlier this year to monitor the water quality in the area and determine if further action is needed.
San Mateo County beaches have consistently made the organization’s “Beach Bummer” list, which ranks the 10 worst beaches graded on water quality events like sewage spills and rainfall, as well as bacteria pollution cultures.
Foster City’s Erckenbrack Park, Gull Park and Marlin Park all got low health marks because of the urban runoff channels it shares in an enclosed space with little room for circulation, according to the latest report released earlier this week. Heal the Bay said it’s especially concerning that four of the six beaches in San Mateo County that made the “Beach Bummer” list last year were not tracked this year.
California’s Most Polluted Beaches 2020/2021
California’s Beach Bummer ListHeal the Bay’s Beach Bummer List ranks the most polluted beaches in California based on levels of harmful bacteria in the ocean. The 2020-2021 Beach Bummer List includes beaches in San Diego, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Humboldt, and Santa Cruz Counties.
Bay Area beaches in bold
- Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge, Tijuana River mouth – San Diego County
- Foster City, Erckenbrack Park – San Mateo County
- Capitola Beach, west of jetty – Santa Cruz County
- Foster City, Gull Park – San Mateo County
- Marina del Rey Mother’s Beach, between Lifeguard Tower and Boat dock – Los Angeles County
- Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge, 3/4 miles north of Tijuana River – San Diego County
- Clam Beach County Park at Strawberry Creek – Humboldt County
- Foster City, Marlin Park – San Mateo County
- Candlestick Point, Windsurfer Circle – San Francisco County
- East Beach at Mission Creek – Santa Barbara County
“Regrettably, the Foster City area and San Mateo County as a whole have been plagued with poor water quality in recent years,” the report reads. “Last year, six San Mateo County beaches earned spots on the Beach Bummer list. With four of those unmonitored by the county this year, fewer have made the list, but the problem of fecal bacteria pollution remains.”
The city said in a news release Wednesday that it has been working with the firm Environmental and Public Health Engineering Inc. since
February to look into the bacteria found in the lagoon. Since March, two out of the six samples had E. coli levels at or above state standards, though no human DNA was found. The city says the bacteria is not likely from sewage, but from seagulls and geese.
Foster City officials say they will continuously collect samples every other week until August in order to assess the need for any water quality measures.
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California’s Beach Honor Roll List – 2020/2021
Heal the Bay’s Honor Roll List includes 35 California beaches that scored perfect water quality grades year-round (compared to 42 beaches in the prior year). Most beaches on the Honor Roll are in Southern California because many Counties in Central California and Northern California do not sample frequently enough during the winter months. Orange County had the most beaches on the Honor Roll. Los Angeles, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Alameda Counties also had beaches with perfect water quality grades.
Bay Area Beaches
- Crown Beach, at Sunset Rd. – Alameda County
- China Beach, at Sea Cliff Ave. – San Francisco County
- Ocean Beach, at Lincoln Way – San Francisco County
See the entire “honor roll” beach list for California
