The local coastline stretching from North Beach in Coronado to south of the Tijuana Slough is operating under water contact advisories due to rising bacteria levels.
The San Diego County Department of Environmental Health and Quality advised beach-goers to avoid water contact in the following water closure areas:
- Coronado shoreline from Avenida Lunar to North Beach
- Silver Strand shoreline from Carnation to Avenida Lunar
- Imperial Beach shoreline from the south end of Seacoast Drive to Carnation Avenue, and
- Tijuana Slough shoreline at the U.S./Mexico border, including Border Field State Park and the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge.
Water contact advisories are issued to warn beach users when ocean or bay water samples results exceed state health standards due to high bacteria levels. Precautionary advisories are issued when the county determines there is a potential for elevated bacteria due to dredging, lagoon openings or other sources in the vicinity of coastal areas.
The department also advised beach users to avoid contact with ocean and bay waters in the following areas:
- San Diego Bay – Tidelands Park shoreline
- Ocean Beach – Dog Beach
- Mission Bay – North Cove, Vacation Isle
- Tourmaline Surf Park – Pacific Beach
- La Jolla Cove Beachline,
- Children’s Pool
Water quality-monitoring uses bacterial indicators to test for the presence of pathogens. The indicators are not specific to humans, and may be from other sources including wildlife, pets, soils and rotting vegetation.
Ocean or bay waters with elevated bacterial indicators also may contain human pathogens that can cause illnesses.
– City News Service
