Heal the Bay Grades Beaches For Summer 2000

   Though Heal the Bay's beach report card for last summer showed that the overall quality of water at Southern California beaches was good, it also showed that water quality at Los Angeles county beaches was significantly poorer than last year. 
   A number of beaches in this area were often unsafe for swimming, including Surfrider and Big Rock in Malibu, Will Rogers at Santa Monica Canyon and Mothers' Beach in Marina del Rey. But, on a more positive note, Heal the Bay reported that the dry-weather runoff diversions at the Bel Air Bay Club in Los Angeles, Santa Monica Pier-Kenter and Ashland Avenue in Santa Monica and Brooks Avenue in Venice appear to be working effectively, as all those areas had very good to excellent water quality. 
   Heal the Bay gave area beaches the following grades for the summer season: Malibu -- Leo Carillo, A+, Nichols Canyon, A, Broad Beach, A+, 
Trancas, A, Westward, A+, Paradise Cove, A, Latigo Canyon, B, Corral, A, Surfrider, three locations , D, F and F, Malibu Pier, D, and Big Rock; D; Topanga, A; Will Rogers at Sunset, A Will Rogers at Bel Air Bay Club, A, Will Rogers at Puiga Canyon, A, Will Rogers at Temescal, C, Will Rogers at S.M. Canyon, F; Santa Monica -- San Vicente, A, Montana, A, Arizona, A, Pier, B, Pico-Kenter, B, Strand, A, and Ashland, A+; Venice -- Brooks, B, Windward, A, Venice Pier, A, and Topsail, B; Marina del Rey -- Mothers' Beach playground, A, north end, C, south end, C, and boat launch, F. 
   Heal the Bay, in its words, "is troubled by the recent decision of the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services to discontinue monitoring at two locations at Mothers' Beach in September. Although the City of Los Angeles continues to monitor one section of the beach, this is inadequate coverage for a beach that has had a notorious fecal pollution problem...and is frequented by children."