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.
Thurston County saltwater swimming beaches
We monitored two Thurston County beaches weekly. Burfoot County Park and Priest Point Park were sampled weekly from May 21 – Aug. 31, 2018.
Find details about each of the Thurston County beaches below:
During the 2018 swim season, Burfoot County Park beach had excellent water quality, meeting the swimming standards during all periods sampled.
During the 2018 swim season, Priest Point County Park beach had excellent water quality, meeting the swimming standards for all periods sampled. The beach was sampled by Surfrider volunteers.
Priest Point Park has a permanent swim advisory due to proximity to a sewage treatment plant.
Data summary: Bacteria results compared to standards
The chart below summarizes the bacteria levels at Thurston 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 Thurston County beaches (in enterococcus per 100 mL) for 2018
| Beach |
Geometric Mean |
Statistical Threshold Value |
| Burfoot County Park |
11 |
18 |
| Priest Point Park |
11 |
14 |