Island County annual BEACH report

During the 2019 monitoring period, Dave Mackie Memorial County Park 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.

Freeland County Park beach had a permanent swimming advisory from June 1 through Sept. 15 due to sporadic high bacteria levels during the months that beach wrack accumulates on the beach. This beach was sampled 15 times during 2019. On Aug. 6 and Aug. 26, Freeland County Park had bacteria results that exceeded the safe swimming standard. Signs were already posted at the beach warning the public, since these events took place during the permanent advisory. All other sampling events resulted in bacteria levels in the safe swimming range.

During the summer, north winds cause beach wrack (decaying marine vegetation along the shoreline) to accumulate along the southern Holmes Harbor shoreline. Beach wrack can be up to two feet thick in some areas. In 2012 – 2013, a study was conducted at this beach by the Department of Health in order to determine if beach wrack could be a source of bacteria. The study showed lower levels of bacteria during the winter and spring seasons when beach wrack was not present in such great amounts. High bacteria levels during summer months may be part of a natural condition at this beach.

During the monitoring period, Windjammer Lagoon had good water quality with low bacteria levels. This beach was sampled 15 times during the monitoring season. On Aug. 20, sampling results exceeded the safe swimming standards, but subsequent sampling showed that bacteria levels had dropped into the safe swimming range. All other sampling events resulted in bacteria levels in the safe swimming range.