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.
Four beaches were sampled weekly in Jefferson County during the 2021 season. Port Townsend Marine Science Center staff and volunteers sampled Fort Worden State Park. The remaining beaches were sampled by Jefferson County Public Health.
See details on each beach below.
During the 2021 swim season, Irondale Beach Park had two sampling events that exceeded the safe swimming standard. On June 29, results were in the advisory range, and subsequent samples were still elevated. This event resulted in an advisory. On August 24, results were in the advisory range, but subsequent samples showed that bacteria levels dropped back into the safe swimming range. This beach was sampled 17 times during the season.
Port Townsend Marine Science Center staff and volunteers sampled this beach 15 times during the 2021 season. This beach had excellent water quality and met the safe swimming standards for all sampling events.
During the 2021 monitoring season, North Beach County Park beach was sampled 15 times. This beach had excellent water quality and met the safe swimming standards for all sampling events.
During the 2021 swim season, Point Whitney Tidelands beach had one sampling event that exceeded the safe swimming standard. On June 29, results were in the advisory range, and subsequent samples showed that bacteria levels were still unsafe. This event resulted in an advisory. This beach was sampled 16 times during the season.
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 2021.
|
Beach
|
GM
|
STV
|
|
North Beach County Park
|
11
|
16
|
|
Fort Worden State Park
|
10
|
12
|
|
Irondale Beach Park
|
22
|
94
|
|
Point Whitney Tidelands
|
18
|
125
|