Which North OC Beaches Ranked The Best In The County?

SEAL BEACH, CA — North Orange County scored high marks during the summer season in the 33rd Annual Heal the Bay Beach Report Card, officials said this week.

North Orange County's grades were consistent with other California beaches, 94 percent of which received an A or B grade during the summer season.

In Seal Beach, of the four ocean testing sites listed in the report, all earned an A or A+ during the summer season, when beaches are most visited.

Heal the Bay's annual report measures bacterial pollution for more than 700 West Coast beaches, from Washington to Baja, ranking them and grading their water quality from A to F.

According to the report, earning consistently high marks for water quality is more difficult during wet weather, when rainfall washes bacteria and other toxins into oceans and bays.

During the wet weather, two Seal Beach beaches received an F — 8th Street Beach and Seal Beach Pier — while 14th Street Beach earned a C grade.

According to the report, 1st Street Beach earned an A+ during wet weather.

In Huntington Beach, of the 20 testing sites listed in the report, all 20 earned an A or A+ during the summer season.

During the wet weather, 10 Huntington Beach beaches earned F grades, including beaches near the Huntington Harbor such as Mother's Beach, Channel Beach and Coral Cay Beach.

Five Huntington Beach beaches earned C grades during the wet season, according to the report.

The beaches near the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve grabbed near-perfect grades.

For the rundown on which North Orange County beaches made good grades for Heal the Bay's report card, view the full report here.