We monitored three beaches in Clallam County during the 2021 season:
- Cline Spit County Park beach
- Hollywood Beach
- Salt Creek Recreation Area beach
The Makah Tribe BEACH Program did not sample in 2021, due to COVID-19.
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. Sampling takes place from Memorial Day to Labor Day. During this time, you can check out current water quality conditions on the swimming map.
Three beaches in Clallam County were sampled weekly during the 2021 season by the Clallam County Health Department. The Makah BEACH Program did not sample in 2021 due to the COVID 19 pandemic.
See details on each beach below.
During the 2021 monitoring period, Cline Spit County Park beach had very good 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 2021 swim season, Hollywood Beach had one sampling event with elevated bacteria results. On August 17, results were in the advisory range, but subsequent samples showed bacteria levels dropped into the safe swimming range. This beach was sampled 16 times during the monitoring season.
During the 2021 swim season, Salt Creek Recreation Area beach had one sampling event with elevated bacteria results. On July 20, results were in the advisory range, but subsequent samples showed bacteria levels had dropped into the safe swimming range. This beach was sampled 16 times during the monitoring season.
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 2021.
|
Beach
|
GM
|
STV
|
|
Cline Spit
|
12
|
27
|
|
Hollywood Beach
|
17
|
52
|
|
Salt Creek Recreation Area
|
19
|
70
|