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 2020, we sampled 63 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 June 1 – Aug. 31, 2020.
Find details about each of the Kitsap County beaches below:
During the 2020 swim season, Arness County Park beach had two sampling events with elevated bacteria results. On Aug. 24 and 25, sampling results exceeded the safe swimming standard. The beach was sampled again on Aug. 26, and these results were back in the safe swimming range. This beach was sampled 16 times during the swim season and all other sampling events had results that met the safe swimming standards.
During the 2020 swim season, Fay Bainbridge Park beach had excellent water quality. This beach was sampled 14 times and met the swimming standards for all periods sampled.
During the 2020 swim season, Illahee State Park beach had excellent water quality. This beach was sampled 13 times and met the swimming standards for all periods sampled.
During the 2020 swim season, Indianola Dock beach had one sampling event with elevated bacteria results. On June 29, results were in the advisory range, but subsequent sampled showed bacteria levels dropped into the safe swimming range. This beach met the swimming standard for all other periods sampled.
During the 2020 swim season, Joel Pritchard Park beach had very good water quality. This beach was sampled 14 times and met the swimming standards for all periods sampled.
This beach was preemptively closed to water recreation due to a sewage spill from Dec. 28-Jan. 1.
During the 2020 swim season, Kitsap Memorial Park had excellent water quality. This beach was sampled 13 times and met the swimming standard during all periods sampled.
During the 2020 swim season, Lions Field beach had very good water quality. This beach was sampled 14 times and met the swimming standards for all periods sampled.
This beach was preemptively closed three times outside of the sampling season due to combined sewer overflows. These closures occurred Jan. 23 – Jan. 29, Oct. 21 – Oct. 28, and Dec. 22 – Dec. 28.
During the 2020 swim season, Point No Point Lighthouse Park beach had excellent water quality. This beach was sampled 14 times and met the swimming standards for all periods sampled.
During the 2020 swim season, Pomeroy Park beach had excellent water quality. This beach was sampled 14 times and met the swimming standards for all periods sampled.
During the 2020 swim season, Salsbury Point County Park beach had excellent water quality. This beach was sampled 14 times and met the swimming standards for all periods sampled.
During the 2020 swim season, Scenic Beach State Park beach had excellent water quality. This beach was sampled 14 times and met the swimming standard during all periods sampled.
During the 2020 swim season, Silverdale Waterfront Park beach had excellent water quality. This beach was sampled 14 times and 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 2020.
|
Beach
|
GM
|
STV
|
|
Arness County Park
|
17
|
68
|
|
Fay Bainbridge Park
|
10
|
15
|
|
Illahee State Park
|
12
|
19
|
|
Indianola Dock
|
16
|
55
|
|
Joel Pritchard Park
|
12
|
27
|
|
Kitsap Memorial State Park
|
10
|
12
|
|
Lions Field
|
12
|
26
|
|
Point No Point Lighthouse Park
|
9
|
10
|
|
Pomeroy Park-Manchester Beach
|
13
|
27
|
|
Salsbury Point County Park
|
10
|
14
|
|
Scenic Beach State Park
|
10
|
15
|
|
Silverdale Waterfront Park
|
11
|
18
|
|