After Straight As Last Year, Malibu Beaches Flunk Cleanliness Grades
Written by 991KBU on June 27, 2019
The pristine quality of Malibu’s beaches have taken an enormous hit due to the Woolsey fire.
Heal The Bay’s annual beach report card was released yesterday.
Down the Malibu coast … from Leo Carrillo Beach as far as Big Rock … beach after beach has dropped from A or A plus to F … fail.
Water quality grades decreased dramatically after the Woolsey Fire … and a heavy winter rain season.
Vegetation loss and damage to storm drains.
Getting Fs last winter:
Leo Carrillo Beach
El Matador State Beach.
Broad Beach.
Trancas Beach.
Zuma Beach.
Paradise Cove Pier
Surfrider Beach and the Malibu Pier … they both fail.
Some beaches … like third point at Surfrider got As … where water currents flushed the ash and biological material away.
This drop-off is particularly substantial considering that 100% of the beaches in Malibu received A and B grades in the year prior to the fire.
Shelley Luce, president of Heal the Bay … said “These are the lowest winter grades we’ve seen in five years in Malibu.
“Those beaches are starting to recover now, but it’s slower than other places. We still need to check the beach report card before we get in the water.”
All beaches in Malibu received A and B grades during a seasonal period Heal the Bay defines as “dry winter” in the year before the fire. This year, only 57% of the same beaches received those marks.
They heal The Bay tests were done the peak of winter storms.
Water is much cleaner now as the dry season starts.
Researchers say it’s not clear how long the effects of the Woolsey fire will last. However, experts say climate change is leading to more extreme wildfires and unpredictable periods of rainfall, which the report notes will lead to dirtier ocean water.
Statewide … California beach water quality sagged in 2018-19, driven in large part by increased rainfall.
One bright spot … a Malibu beach at the eastern end of town … far from the fire impact … made the statewide honor roll:
That would be Las Tunas County Beach.
