Santa Barbara Channelkeeper preserved a critical public health service when we took over weekly beach water quality sampling from Santa Barbara County Environmental Health Services for the winter months of 2008-2009 and again for the 2009-2010 winter months after the Board of Supervisors cut funding for the effort.

State law requires local health officials to conduct weekly bacteria sampling, from April 1 to October 31, at high visitation beaches and to warn the public if State bacteriological standards are exceeded. However, due to State and local budget cuts last year, funding for this effort was eliminated. Recognizing the importance of beach water quality information to local surfers and other ocean users, Channelkeeper stepped up and took over the County’s beach safety monitoring program. We wanted ensure that the public continued to have access to information about the safety of recreating at local beaches while also maintaining the continuity of the dataset for future regulatory efforts to improve beach water quality.

From November 2008 through mid-May 2009, Channelkeeper conducted weekly bacteria sampling at 12 beaches (Rincon Point, Carpinteria State and City Beaches, Summerland, Hammond’s, Butterfly, Hope Ranch, Goleta, Sands at Coal Oil Point, Haskell's, El Capitan, and Refugio). The City of Santa Barbara took over sampling at Arroyo Burro, Leadbetter, and East Beach at Mission and Sycamore Creeks. We shared our results with the public in the Santa Barbara News Press, Daily Sound, edhat.com, Heal the Bay’s Beach Report Card, through Channelkeeper and County email lists, and on kiosks at the Ty Warner Sea Center and Goleta Beach. This effort was made possible by funding from the Coastal Fund, Santa Barbara County’s 2^nd Supervisorial District, the Wood-Claeyssens Foundation, and contributions from many Channelkeeper members.

Number of weekly beach samples that exceeded one or more CA standards for E.Coli, enterococcus or total coliform bacteria.

Thanks in part to Channelkeeper's advocacy, County Environmental Health Services resumed the beach sampling in mid-May 2009, but only has funding to continue through October 31^st, 2009. This means that unless Channelkeeper is able to step in again to fill the gap, surfers, swimmers and other ocean users won’t know when it’s safe to go in the water thereafter. Testing during these winter months is particularly important because beaches are more polluted due to the stormwater runoff and more frequent sewage spills that come with winter rains.  Better waves also bring more surfers into the water in the winter. Since swimming in polluted water can make you sick, ocean users need to know when State health standards are exceeded so they can avoid putting themselves at risk. The County’s resumption of the effort next April is uncertain.

Please consider making a donation to support Channelkeeper’s winter beach water quality monitoring effort and help us protect the health of all who use and enjoy Santa Barbara County beaches.

Click on the date below to view previous bacteria data (November 3, 2008 - May 11, 2009).

November 3, 2008

November 10, 2008 

November 17, 2008 

November 24, 2008

December 1, 2008

December 8, 2008

December 15, 2008

December 21, 2008

December 29, 2008

January 5, 2009 

January 12, 2009

January 20, 2009

January 26, 2009

February 2, 2009

February 9, 2009

February 17, 2009

February 23, 2009

March 2, 2009

March 9, 2009 

March 16, 2009

March 23, 2009

March 30, 2009

April 6, 2009

April 13,2009

April 20, 2009

April 27, 2009

May 4, 2009

Legal disclaimer regarding sampling results.