Mason County annual BEACH report

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.

Mason County saltwater swimming beaches

We monitored four beaches in Mason County from May 21 – Aug. 31, 2018. All beaches were sampled weekly except for Belfair State Park beach which was sampled every other week.

Find details about each of the Mason County beaches below:

Data summary: Bacteria results compared to standards

The chart below summarizes the bacteria levels at Mason 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 Mason County beaches (in enterococcus per 100 mL) for 2018

Beach	Geometric Mean	Statistical Threshold Value
Allyn Waterfront Park	16	43
Belfair State Park	12	19
Potlatch State Park	<10	10
Twanoh State Park	11	17