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These
graphs summarize the number of days warning signs were posted
at Ventura County beaches due to bacteria levels exceeding
State standards. Beach goers can use this information to get
a good idea of the general water quality at their favorite
beaches.
The
graphs provide a useful way of comparing bacteria levels year-to-year
and beach-to-beach.
Graph
1 shows the pattern of monthly variation in warning sign
posting. Postings occur more frequently during the wet winter
season than in the dry seasons. Graphs 2-8 range from
October 1 to September 30, which allows one whole wet season
to be compared to another. For example, in dry years, such
as 2001-2002, the number of days with high bacteria levels
is less than in wet years. Graphs
2-7 depict the number of beach postings at 53 beach sampling
locations in years 1998 to 2004. Graph 8 summarizes
the entire period of record from 1998 to 2004.
Bacterial
levels in ocean water change constantly and are affected by
many variables. On any given day, even days when ocean water
samples are collected, one cannot know what the bacteria level
is for certain. However, beaches with the fewest days posted
will generally have lower bacteria levels than beaches with
frequent postings.
From
Graphs 1-8, the following observations can be inferred:
Bacterial contamination occurs frequently at harbor-enclosed
Kiddie and Hobie Beaches. Most beaches facing the open ocean
in Ventura County rarely have bacterial contamination in dry
weather. High bacteria levels occur more frequently during
the rainy season and in proximity to ocean drains, creeks
and other outfalls - such as near the mouth of Rincon Creek,
the Ventura River, and the Oxnard Industrial Drain. Beaches
away from large ocean outfalls and urban areas, such as the
Rincon Parkway area, and the beaches from Point Mugu south,
have the lowest occurrence of bacterial contamination.
On
the whole, ocean monitoring reveals that with few exceptions,
beach goers in Ventura County can enjoy excellent water quality
at most beaches, most of the time.
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