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.
Whatcom County saltwater swimming beaches
We monitored four beaches in Whatcom County weekly from May 20 – Aug. 30, 2019.
Find details about each of the Whatcom County beaches below:
During the 2019 swim season, Birch Bay County Park beach was sampled eight times. Water quality at this beach was excellent with bacteria levels meeting swimming standards during all periods sampled.
During the 2019 monitoring season, Larrabee State Park beach was sampled 14 times. This beach had very good water quality and met the safe swimming standards during all periods sampled.
This beach has had bacterial water quality problems for the past several years. A permanent swimming advisory was in place from 2011 through 2016.
The likely source of the bacterial contamination is a raccoon latrine at the headwaters of a small stream that drains to this beach. Bacterial source-control efforts have been ongoing, including a public education effort at the park and surrounding neighborhoods.
In early 2014, raccoon access to a portion of their latrine was blocked off by laying chicken wire over the latrine area. This has appeared to be effective at reducing the volume of raccoon feces. Therefore, it is important to maintain the chicken wire to continue preventing raccoon access to the stream headwaters.
In 2017, Whatcom County Health Department and the Larrabee State Park manager made the decision to lift the permanent advisory due to water quality improving and meeting the EPA swimming standards since 2014.
Little Squalicum beach has consistent low to moderate bacteria levels, with occasional high bacteria spikes. A permanent swimming advisory is in place for this beach. Little Squalicum Park beach was sampled 14 times during the monitoring season.
During the 2019 sampling season, Little Squalicum Park beach had five sampling events that exceeded the safe swimming standards. This beach exceeded EPA’s water quality criteria for both the geometric mean and the statistical threshold value.
Port of Bellingham Marine Park beach was sampled eight times during the sampling season. Water quality at this beach was excellent, with bacteria levels meeting swimming standards during all periods sampled.
Data summary: Bacteria results compared to standards
The chart below summarizes the bacteria levels at Whatcom 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 Whatcom County beaches (in enterococcus per 100 mL) for 2019
| Beach |
Geometric Mean |
Statistical Threshold Value |
| Birch Bay County Park Beach |
13 |
25 |
| Larrabee State Park Beach |
15 |
31 |
| Little Squalicum State Park Beach |
94 |
1454 |
| Port of Bellingham Marine Park Beach |
12 |
17 |