Keeping beaches safe
The Beach Environmental Assessment, Communication & Health, or 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.
Grays Harbor County Public Health sampled three popular surfing and swimming beaches weekly in Grays Harbor County, during the 2022 season.
See details on each beach below.
During the 2022 monitoring season, Half Moon Bay had excellent water quality. This beach was sampled 15 times during the monitoring season and met swimming standards for all sampling events.
During the 2022 monitoring season, South Jetty had excellent water quality. This beach was sampled 15 times during the monitoring season and met swimming standards for all sampling events.
During the 2022 monitoring season, The Groynes beach had one sampling event with elevated bacteria levels. On July 5, bacteria was in the advisory range but subsequent sampling showed that bacteria dropped back into safe levels. This beach was sampled 15 time and met swimming standards for all other sampling events.
Data summary: Bacteria results compared to standards
The chart below summarizes the bacteria levels at Grays Harbor 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 Grays Harbor County beaches (in enterococcus per 100 mL) for 2022.
| Beach |
GM |
STV |
| Westhaven State Park, Half Moon Bay |
10 |
14 |
| Westhaven State Park, South Jetty |
9 |
9 |
| Westport-The Groynes |
11 |
42 |