Watching the water hazard

DANETTE GOULET

Good news: It’s safe to go in the water almost anywhere along the

city’s coast during the dry season (including the Santa Ana River

mouth).

Bad news: Nowhere south of Beach Boulevard is safe to go in during

the wet season.

Santa Monica-based watchdog group Heal the Bay released its annual

beach report card Wednesday, and Huntington Beach fared pretty much

as it always does: The water off Bolsa Chica is clean (for now) and

the ocean at the south end of town is mysteriously dirty.

Last year, however, Surf City managed to squeak by without a

single F -- not so this year. Three areas received Fs in the wet

season, which was exceptionally rainy.

The large amount of rainfall may be one of the reasons for such

bad grades this year, said Mitzy Taggert, a staff scientist with Heal

the Bay.

“Wet weather grades are almost always worse [with increased

rain,]” Taggart said. “The more it rains the worse water quality is,

especially at these outlets. The difference between wet and dry

grades is really amazing. We had a lot more beaches get Fs this

year.”

Surf City was clearly one of those. But it is not without its good

news.

Seven of the 10 spots tested in the city received an A for water

quality in the dry season. Two of the 10 areas still earned A’s in

the wet season, three dropped down to Bs, one dropped to a C and the

Santa Ana River plummeted to an F.

Another bright spot is that the only beach area that got lower

than a B in the dry season is the state beach across from Magnolia

Street. It got a C and an F. I would just avoid swimming there.

I think it’s safe to say (although it’s often already crowded

enough for my tastes) that the cleanest places to surf and swim are

the south of Bolsa Chica and at the bluffs.

We’re lucky to have this group acting as a watchdog for all of us,

but we also need to use common sense. Don’t go swimming or surfing

right after it rains, especially where runoff empties. And don’t

throw trash of any kind into the gutters, because they lead to the

ocean you want to swim in. Pick up after your pets and don’t use

pesticides that will wash into the ocean.

We can complain about the outfall pipe all we want, but if we

commit any of the environmental sins above we’re just as bad.

* DANETTE GOULET is the city editor. She can be reached at (714)

965-7170 or by e-mail at danette.goulet@latimes.com.