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.
Jefferson County saltwater swimming beaches
We monitored four beaches in Jefferson County weekly from May 20 – Aug. 30, 2019.
Find details about each of the Jefferson County beaches below:
During the 2019 monitoring season, Chetzemoka 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 Oct. 1, 2019.
Port Townsend Marine Science Center volunteers sampled this beach 15 times during the swimming season. On July 18, sampling results for this beach exceeded the safe swimming range. A water-contact advisory was issued from July 19 – 22. All other sampling events resulted in bacteria levels in the safe swimming range.
During the 2019 swim season, Herb Beck Marina was sampled 16 times. On Aug. 8, sampling results exceeded the safe swimming standard, so a water-contact advisory was issued from Aug. 9 – 12. Similarly, Aug. 22 sampling results exceeded the safe swimming standard, and a water-contact advisory was issued from Aug. 23 – 25. All other sampling events had results that met the safe swimming standards.
During the 2019 sampling season, Jefferson County Public Health investigated to determine sources of pollution. Nothing conclusive was found.
During the 2019 swim season, Oak Bay County Park beach had two sampling events that exceeded the safe swimming standard. On July 11, high bacteria levels resulted in an advisory against water contact being issued from July 12 – 19. Testing on Aug. 22 again detected high bacteria levels, so another advisory was issued from Aug. 23 – 25. All other 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 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 Jefferson County beaches
(in enterococcus per 100 mL) for 2019
| Beach |
Geometric Mean |
Statistical Threshold Value |
| Chetzemoka Park |
11 |
16 |
| Fort Worden State Park |
19 |
55 |
| Herb Beck Marina |
21 |
91 |
| Oak Bay County Park |
19 |
226 |