Marin County Beaches Ranked in Latest 'Heal the Bay' Report Card

Bay Area beaches received mostly high marks for water quality in a report card released Thursday by the environmental group Heal the Bay.

Of the graded ocean-side beaches from Marin County to San Mateo County, 38 of 40 received an A grade for the high-traffic summer period of April to October. That's 95 percent, 2 percent higher than a five-year average for the beaches during the summer period.

While the overall report was favorable, three local beaches are on the state's list of the 10 most polluted beaches based on levels of harmful bacteria. The harmful bacteria can cause illnesses such as stomach flu, ear infections, upper respiratory infections, and skin rashes among people who go in the water, according to Heal the Bay.

Cowell Beach at the wharf in Santa Cruz County is the No. 1 most polluted beach in the state, Heal the Bay's report said.

Part of the problem at Cowell Beach is birds roosting. Work has started to install steel fencing to prevent the roosting.

The other two beaches to make the list of the top 10 most polluted beaches are Pillar Point Harbor in San Mateo County and Sunnydale Cove near Candlestick Point in San Francisco.

Both beaches have poor water circulation, Heal the Bay spokesman James Alamillo said.

Here's the Marin County Breakdown:

Baker Beach, Horseshoe Cove NE

Marin CountyA+ dry, ns wet2

Baker Beach, Horseshoe Cove NW

Marin CountyA+ dry, ns wet3

Baker Beach, Horseshoe Cove SW

Marin CountyA dry, ns wet4

Bolinas Beach (Wharf Rd)

Marin CountyF dry, ns wet5

Chicken Ranch Beach at Creek

Marin CountyA+ dry, C wet6

China Camp

Marin CountyA+ dry, ns wet7

Dillon Beach

Marin CountyA+ dry, A+ wet8

Drake's Beach

Marin Countyns dry, ns wet9

Drakes Estero

Marin Countyns dry, ns wet10

Heart's Desire

Marin CountyA+ dry, A+ wet11

Lawson's Landing

Marin CountyA+ dry, A+ wet12

Limantour Beach

Marin Countyns dry, ns wet13

McNears Beach

Marin CountyA+ dry, ns wet14

Miller Park

Marin CountyA+ dry, A+ wet15

Millerton Point

Marin CountyA dry, A+ wet16

Muir Beach, Central

Marin CountyA+ dry, ns wet17

Muir Beach, North

Marin CountyA+ dry, D wet18

Muir Beach, South

Marin CountyA+ dry, ns wet19

Paradise Cove

Marin Countyns dry, ns wet20

Rodeo Beach, Central

Marin CountyA+ dry, ns wet21

Rodeo Beach, North

Marin CountyA+ dry, ns wet22

Rodeo Beach, South

Marin CountyA+ dry, ns wet23

Schoonmaker Beach

Marin CountyA+ dry, ns wet24

Shell Beach

Marin CountyA+ dry, A+ wet25

Stinson Beach, Central

Marin CountyA+ dry, ns wet26

Stinson Beach, North

Marin CountyA dry, ns wet

Stinson Beach, South

Marin CountyA+ dry, ns wet

Heal the Bay officials said El Nino contributed to poor water quality grades at some beaches this past winter because high amounts of rainfall can cause older sewer systems to inadvertently release under-treated sewage into the Bay or ocean.

Beach water quality is graded each week and the grades can be found at beachreportcard.org.

San Francisco Bay Beaches

Beaches facing San Francisco Bay had lower grades overall than ocean-side beaches.

Twenty-four of 28 Bayside beaches, or 85 percent, received A or B grades, according to the report card.

In Sonoma County, all seven monitored beaches received grades of A+.

During last summer's reporting season, California's drought was a major contributor to better grades because less rainfall meant less runoff into bodies of water.

Heal the Bay officials warn that swimmers should wait at least three days after a rain before swimming.

They also warn beachgoers to avoid going in the water at beaches that are cut off from the ocean or Bay.

Also, swimmers should swim at least 100 yards from working storm drains and piers.

-- Bay City News Service contributed to this report.; Photo by Renee Schiavone.