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.
Snohomish County saltwater swimming beaches
We monitored seven beaches in Snohomish County weekly from May 21 – Aug. 31, 2018.
Find details about each of the Snohomish County beaches below:
During the 2018 swim season, Edmonds Marina Park was sampled 15 times. This beach had very good water quality, meeting the swimming standards for all periods sampled.
During the 2018 swim season, Edmonds Underwater Park Beach was sampled 15 times. The beach had excellent water quality, meeting the swimming standards for all periods sampled.
During the 2018 swim season, Howarth Park beach was sampled every other week. The beach had very good water quality, meeting the swimming standards during all periods sampled.
Due to lack of public access during the summer, Jetty Island beach was sampled every other week during the months of July and August (four times). During the four sample events, water quality was excellent and met the swimming standards.
During the 2018 swim season, Kayak Point County beach was sampled 17 times. On July 17 and July 23 this beach had results in the closure range, but subsequent sampling showed bacteria levels had dropped into the safe swimming range. This beach met the swimming standards for all periods sampled.
During the 2018 swim season, Mukilteo Lighthouse Park beach had very good water quality. This beach met the swimming standards for all periods sampled.
In addition to beach sampling, volunteers sampled water from a stormwater pipe that discharges to the beach. Samples were obtained six times when the pipe was flowing. During four of the six sample events, bacteria levels were greater than 104 enterococci bacteria per 100 milliliters of water, exceeding the swimming criteria. It is difficult to determine if this discharge impacts water quality along the beach area. No flow information is available, so bacteria loading cannot be calculated.
During the 2018 swim season, Picnic Point County beach had excellent water quality, meeting the swimming standards during all periods sampled.
Data summary: Bacteria results compared to standards
The chart below summarizes the bacteria levels at Snohomish 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 Snohomish County beaches (in enterococcus per 100 mL) for 2018
| Beach |
Geometric Mean |
Statistical Threshold Value |
| Edmonds Marina Beach Park |
13 |
24 |
| Edmonds Underwater Park |
11 |
18 |
| Howarth Park |
14 |
32 |
| Jetty Island |
13 |
26 |
| Kayak Point County Park |
21 |
139 |
| Mukilteo Lighthouse Park |
13 |
26 |
| Picnic Point County Park |
12 |
19 |