Mother's Beach Is 'Chronic Beach Bummer': Heal The Bay

MARINA DEL REY, CA — Marina del Rey's Mothers Beach returned to this year's Beach Bummer List, according to a study released Wednesday by an environmental group.

Mothers Beach came in seventh place on the bad beach list and is considered a "chronic beach bummer," according to Heal the Bay's annual Beach Report Card. This is the Marina del Rey beach's fifth appearance on the list, and is one of three L.A. County Beach Bummers for the 2018-2019 report.

The beach is considered enclosed due to its location within the marina — its only connection to the open ocean is through the marina's entry and exit channel, the report said.

"Because it is enclosed, there is little water circulation and bacteria and other pollution do not get flushed away from the beach. The lack of waves at this beach makes it a popular beach for families," Heal the Bay said. "L.A. County has installed bird exclusion devices and water circulators to help remediate the problem. The restroom building underwent renovations last year replaced pipes and sewer lines. Bioswales designed to catch runoff before it can enter the water were also installed."

Aided by the unusually wet winter, Los Angeles and Orange counties combined to earn five spots on a list of the state's 10 beaches with the worst water quality, according to a study released Wednesday by an environmental group.

The beach at San Clemente Pier in Orange County topped the Beach Bummer List, which was released as part of Heal the Bay's 29th annual Beach Report Card. Monarch Beach at Salt Creek was the other Orange County beach to land on the dubious list, placing sixth.

Long Beach City Beach at Coronado Avenue was rated fourth worst as it made its first-ever appearance on the Beach Bummer List. Harborside Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro came in eigth place on the bad beach list.

But the news wasn't all bad in the report, which assigns letter grades to beaches throughout California based on water quality. Orange County had 10 beaches listed on the group's Honor Roll, a distinction reserved for beaches that receive an A+ grade for all seasons and weather conditions. A total of 33 out of 500 beaches earned spots on the list.

Three San Clemente beaches made the Honor Roll, along with three in Dana point, two in Huntington Harbor and one each in Corona del Mar in Laguna Beach.

Los Angeles County earned two spots on the Honor Roll — down from eight last year. The ocean side of Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro made the grade, as did Las Tunas County Beach at Pena Creek in Malibu.

Three other Malibu beaches fell off the Honor Roll from last year, as did three in Palos Verdes.

Heal the Bay officials noted in the report that the massive Woolsey Fire contributed to a drop in water quality in Malibu. According to the group, wildfires increase runoff due to the loss of vegetation and infrastructure damage.

According to the report, 95 percent of Southern California beaches received A or B grades for water quality during the dry summer weather. But it emphasized the negative impact of wildfires and rainy weather during the winter across the state.

"California experienced a disproportionate amount of rain and wildfires over the last year, which came with below-average wet-weather grades in 13 our of 17 coastal counties and far below average grades at Malibu beaches where the Woolsey Fire burned," according to the report.

The report calls on the state to improve efforts to capture stormwater and treat it for reuse instead of allowing it to run into the ocean.

City News Service contributed to this post