Keeping beaches safe
The Beach Environmental Assessment, Communication & Health (BEACH) Program ensures that marine water is safe to swim and play in and informs the public if water doesn't meet swimming standards.
From Memorial Day through Labor Day in 2020, we sampled 63 public high-use beaches statewide, either weekly or biweekly, for enterococcus, a type of fecal bacteria. High enterococcus levels are linked to swimmer illness.
Clallam County saltwater swimming beaches
Five beaches in Clallam County were sampled during the sampling season in 2020. The Makah Tribe sampled five beaches from January through March for their BEACH Program. The Makah Tribe stopped sampling in late March due to COVID-19.
Makah Tribe BEACH program
During 2020, the Makah Tribe sampled five beaches from January-March
- Dakwas Park Beach, Neah Bay
- Front Street Beach, East
- Hobuck Beach
- Sooes Beach
- Third Beach, Neah Bay
You can view monitoring results for the Makah Tribe beaches through the Coastal Atlas BEACH data portal. In the dropdown menu, under Select a Location - County, choose "Clallam."
Washington state BEACH program
As part of the Washington state BEACH program, Clallam County sampled three beaches from June 1 – Aug. 31, 2020.
Find details about each of the Clallam County beaches below:
During the 2020 monitoring period, Cline Spit County Park beach had one sampling event with elevated bacteria results. On July 14, results were in the advisory range, but subsequent samples showed bacteria levels dropped into the safe swimming range. This beach was sampled eight times during the monitoring season. This beach met the swimming standard for all other periods sampled.
During the 2020 swim season, Hollywood Beach had excellent water quality. This beach was sampled 14 times during the monitoring season. All sampling events had bacterial levels in the safe swimming range.
During the 2020 swim season, Marylyn Nelson County Park had very good water quality. This beach was sampled seven times during the monitoring season. All sampling events had bacterial levels in the safe swimming range.
During the 2020 swim season, the Mouth of the Elwah beach had excellent water quality. This beach was sampled seven times during the monitoring season. All sampling events had bacterial levels in the safe swimming range.
During the 2020 swim season, Salt Creek Recreation Area had excellent water quality. This beach was sampled seven times during the monitoring season. All sampling events had bacterial levels in the safe swimming range.
Data summary: Bacteria results compared to standards
The chart below summarizes the bacteria levels in Clallam County beaches in relation to the EPA swimming standard or saltwater swimming criteria. Beaches are considered unsafe for swimming when the geometric mean of enterococcus/100 mL of water is greater than or equal to 30 and the statistical threshold value of enterococcus/100 mL is greater than or equal to 110. We issue a public swimming advisory when enterococcus levels exceed 104 per 100 mL of water.
Table: Calculated geometric mean and statistical threshold value at Clallam County beaches
(in enterococcus per 100 mL) for 2020.
|
Beach
|
GM
|
STV
|
|
Cline Spit
|
18
|
166
|
|
Hollywood Beach
|
16
|
38
|
|
Marylyn Nelson
|
16
|
35
|
|
Mouth of the Elwah
|
13
|
26
|
|
Salt Creek Recreation Area
|
13
|
21
|