Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

Lack of Rainfall in San Diego is a Positive for San Diego's Beaches

There's a positive benefit from the historic dry spell in San Diego County. The lack of rain has helped county beaches get top marks in an environmental group's report card. KPBS Reporter Ed Joyce has

Lack of Rainfall in San Diego is a Positive for San Diego's Beaches

There's a positive benefit from the historic dry spell in San Diego County. The lack of rain has helped county beaches get top marks in an environmental group's report card. KPBS Reporter Ed Joyce has details.

Heal the Bay's end of Summer Beach Report Card shows that overall water quality improved at California beaches. There were only 38 locations (8 percent) throughout the state that received fair-to-poor water quality grades.

Advertisement

San Diego County also got top marks, with 99 percent of county beaches getting an A or B grade. The only dark spot this summer was Pacific Beach Point, which received a D.

The group says California's record low rainfall this year, which limited polluted urban runoff in storm drain systems, played a major role in better water quality. The Beach Report Card is based on the routine monitoring of beaches conducted by local health agencies and dischargers. Water samples were analyzed from beaches between May and September.

Ed Joyce, KPBS News.