Heal the Bay Issues Annual Beach Report Card, Grades Include Pacific Palisades

By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor

Heal the Bay issued its 34th annual Beach Report Card in June, which includes data for beaches in Pacific Palisades.

During Summer (measured April 2023 through October 2023) and Winter (November 2023 through March 2024), Will Rogers State Beach, which is monitored at Pulga Canyon storm drain, received grades of A and B, respectively. Bel-Air Bay Club received an A and A.

Temescal Canyon received an A for the Summer, with no grade accounted for in the Winter. The Santa Monica Canyon site received a D and F.

For Wet Weather (April 2023 through March 2024), the Pulga Canyon storm drain received a B and the Santa Monica Canyon site received an F grade, while Temescal Canyon and Bel-Air Bay Club were graded A+.

Heal the Bay introduced the Beach Report Card over 30 years ago as a “pivotal public health tool designed to safeguard beachgoers,” according to the organization. Heal the Bay evaluates water quality by analyzing bacteria pollution of approximately 700 beaches—stretching from Tijuana through Washington—and assigns A through F letter grades to beaches, based on levels of fecal-indicator bacterial pollution in the ocean, as measured by different health agencies.

“These bacteria themselves are not harmful, but their presence indicates contamination by fecal matter that may contain dangerous pathogens,” according to Heal the Bay. “Fecal pollution is of particular concern because even a single exposure can result in illness.”

Topanga Beach at creek mouth received an F for Summer Dry Grade, D for Winter Dry Grade and F for its Wet Weather Grade. It previously made the “Beach Bummer” list in 2019-20, which accounts for the most polluted beaches in the state based on levels of harmful bacteria in the water.

This year, two Los Angeles County beaches made the list—Santa Monica Pier and Marina del Rey Mother’s Beach—after receiving F grades across the board. Heal the Bay categorized the two as “persistent Beach Bummers” for maintaining their “unfortunate” record of poor water quality and making the list since 2013.

“Santa Monica Pier, which ranks third on the Beach Bummer list, faces ongoing challenges to improve water quality despite recent upgrades, including stormwater capture systems,” according to Heal the Bay. “The pier’s consistent appearance on the Beach Bummer list indicates ongoing challenges in controlling sources of pollution.”

Heal the Bay encouraged beach users to consult the Beach Report Card to assess potential health risks before entering these bodies of water, and advised beachgoers to avoid ocean water near storm drains and river outlets, and all ocean contact for at least three days following significant rainfall.

“Avoiding water at beaches with poor grades reduces the risk of exposure not only to harmful bacteria, but also to other pollutants,” according to the organization.

According to Heal the Bay, 12 beaches earned a spot on the Honor Roll List this year—an improvement from two the year prior, but “significantly lower than the typical” 30 to 50 beaches. To make the Honor Roll, a beach must be monitored weekly all year and receive an A+ for all seasons and weather conditions.

No LA County Beaches made the Honor Roll list. Of the 12, nine are in Orange County, two are in San Diego County and one is in Ventura County.

For more information, including the full Beach Report Card and River Report Card, visit healthebay.org. For weekly grades, visit beachreportcard.org.