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.
Kitsap County saltwater swimming beaches
We monitored 12 beaches in Kitsap County weekly from May 20 – Aug. 30, 2019.
Find details about each of the Kitsap County beaches below:
During the 2019 swim season, Arness County Park beach had excellent water quality. This beach was sampled 14 times and met the swimming standards for all periods sampled.
Arness County Park beach was preemptively closed to water contact from October 23 – 25 due to a sewage spill.
During the 2019 swim season, Fay Bainbridge Park beach had excellent water quality. This beach was sampled 16 times and met the swimming standards for all periods sampled.
Fay Bainbridge Park beach was preemptively closed to water contact from July 19 – 22 due to a sewage spill.
During the 2019 swim season, Illahee State Park beach had good water quality. On May 28, sampling results exceeded the safe swimming range, but subsequent sampling showed that bacteria levels had dropped back into the safe swimming range. This beach met the swimming standard for all other periods sampled.
During the 2019 swim season, Indianola Dock beach had very good water quality. This beach met the swimming standard during all periods sampled.
Indianola Dock beach was preemptively closed to water contact from July 19 – 22 due to a sewage spill.
During the 2019 swim season, Joel Pritchard Park beach had good water quality. On May 20, sampling results exceeded the safe swimming standard, but subsequent sampling showed that bacteria levels had dropped back down into the safe swimming range. This beach met the swimming standards during all other periods sampled.
Joel Pritchard Park beach was preemptively closed to water contact from July 19 – 22 due to a sewage spill.
During the 2019 swim season, Kitsap Memorial Park has excellent water quality. This beach met the swimming standard during all periods sampled.
During the 2019 swim season, Lions Field beach had excellent water quality. This beach met the swimming standard during all periods sampled.
This beach was preemptively closed to water contact due to a sewage spill from March 5 – 10, 2019.
During the 2019 swim season, Point No Point Lighthouse Park beach had excellent water quality. This beach met the swimming standard during all periods sampled.
During the 2019 swim season, Pomeroy Park beach was sampled 17 times. On May 20, sampling results exceeded the safe swimming standard and subsequent sampling showed that bacteria levels were still elevated. As a result, an advisory to water contact was issued at this beach from May 23 – 25. The beach was reopened on May 26 when samples showed that bacteria levels had dropped back into the safe swimming range. This beach met the swimming standard during all other periods sampled.
During the 2019 swim season, Salsbury Point County Park had excellent water quality and met the swimming standard during all periods sampled.
During the 2019 swim season, Scenic Beach State Park beach had excellent water quality. This beach met the swimming standard during all periods sampled.
During the 2019 swim season, Silverdale Waterfront Park beach had very good water quality. This beach met the swimming standard during all periods sampled.
Data summary: Bacteria results compared to standards
The chart below summarizes the bacteria levels at Kitsap 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 Kitsap County beaches (in enterococcus per 100 mL) for 2019
| Beach |
Geometric Mean |
Statistical Threshold Value |
| Arness County Park |
12 |
17 |
| Fay Bainbridge Park |
13 |
24 |
| Illahee State Park |
17 |
58 |
| Indianola Dock |
13 |
22 |
| Joel Pritchard Park |
16 |
52 |
| Kitsap Memorial Park |
10 |
14 |
| Lions Field |
10 |
15 |
| Point No Point Lighthouse Park |
10 |
13 |
| Pomeroy Park - Manchester Beach |
24 |
99 |
| Salsbury Point County Park |
<10 |
11 |
| Scenic Beach State Park |
<10 |
11 |
| Silverdale Waterfront Park |
15 |
39 |