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 2018, 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.
Jefferson County saltwater swimming beaches
We monitored four beaches in Jefferson County weekly from May 21 – Aug. 31, 2018.
Find details about each of the Jefferson County beaches below:
During the 2018 monitoring season, Fort Flagler State Park beach was sampled 15 times. This beach had excellent water quality and met the safe swimming standards for all sampling events.
A shoreline survey was conducted at this beach by BEACH Program staff on July 24, 2018.
Port Townsend Marine Science Center volunteers sampled this beach 16 times during the swimming season. On July 18, sampling results for this beach were in the closure range, but subsequent sampling showed bacteria levels had dropped into the safe swimming range. Fort Worden State Park beach had good water quality and met swimming standards during all periods sampled.
During the 2018 swim season, Herb Beck Marina had good water quality. On July 18, sampling results were in the closure range resulting in a closure to water contact being issued from July 20 through July 26, 2018. All other sampling events had results that met the safe swimming standards.
A shoreline survey was conducted at this beach by BEACH Program staff on July 24, 2018. A recommendation was made to add another pet waste station at the entrance to the park
During the 2018 swim season, Oak Bay County Park beach had excellent water quality. All 15 sampling events had results that met safe swimming standards.
Data summary: Bacteria results compared to standards
The chart below summarizes the bacteria levels at Jefferson 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 35 and the statistical threshold value of enterococcus/100 mL is greater than or equal to 276. We issue a public swimming advisory when enterococcus levels reach 104 per 100 mL of water.
Table: Calculated geometric mean and statistical threshold value at Jefferson County beaches
(in enterococcus per 100 mL) for 2018
| Beach |
Geometric Mean |
Statistical Threshold Value |
| Fort Flagler State Park |
<10 |
<10 |
| Fort Worden State Park |
14 |
36 |
| Herb Beck Marina |
16 |
70 |
| Oak Bay County Park |
10 |
12 |