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 2019, we sampled 62 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
Eight beaches in Clallam County were sampled in 2018. The Makah Tribe sampled five of these beaches year-round for their BEACH Program.
Makah Tribe BEACH program
During 2019, the Makah Tribe sampled five beaches year-round:
- 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 weekly from May 20 – Aug. 30, 2019.
Find details about each of the Clallam County beaches below:
During the 2019 monitoring period, Cline Spit County Park beach had excellent water quality. This beach was sampled 15 times during the monitoring season. All sampling events had bacterial levels in the safe swimming range.
During the 2019 swim season, Hollywood Beach had excellent water quality. This beach was sampled 15 times during the monitoring season. All sampling events had bacterial levels in the safe swimming range.
During the 2019 swim season, Salt Creek Recreation Area had two sampling events with elevated bacteria results. On June 17, results were in the advisory range, but subsequent sampled showed bacteria levels dropped into the safe swimming range. On July 2, elevated levels of bacteria resulted in a water-contact advisory being issued from July 3 – 8. This beach met the swimming standard for all other periods sampled.
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 2019
| Beach |
Geometric Mean |
Statistical Threshold Value |
| Cline Spit County Park Beach |
10 |
13 |
| Hollywood Beach |
12 |
20 |
| Salt Creek Recreation Area Beach |
15 |
62 |