Ughh. Clam Beach among California's top 10 most polluted
When I read the headline to this story at SFgate.com, I initially thought it would make a good entry contrasting the quality of life here in Humboldt compared to lower California. I was mildly shocked to read that Clam Beach County Park in McKinleyville is 9th on the list of the ten most polluted beaches in the entire state, according to Heal the Bay's annual report card. If you look at the report card of beach health by county, Mendocino, Sonoma, and Marin counties have significantly better grades for the beaches Heal the Bay monitors.
If you read the report on Humboldt County on page 45, it does link "bacterial exceedances" found at Clam and Moonstone to the large resident bird populations found at these beaches.
Comments
Isn't there a big difference between "pollution" attributable to native fauna as opposed to street residue run-off, medical waste and improper waste water treatment?
Posted by: Chris Crawford | May 21, 2008 01:44 PM
Without ugliness, we would not have beauty. The issue here is in regards to how great the life here truely is.
If one was to look deeper, one might find more pollutants in our rivers and coastal beaches than you expect.
We live in an area of low usage and is small in numbers compared to the population in southern. It is too bad, we did not get the money the south gets for protection and prevention of pollution.
Until the pollutants mentions are dangerous to human life and have already harmed the envorinment, nothing will be done. Our government works in a crisis mode.
Posted by: Charlie Bean | May 21, 2008 09:42 PM
Andrew,
Wrote another blog, no not about the Raiders, well maybe, but it has your comment in it.
Check it out when you get a chance!
-Ray
Posted by: Ray Aspuria | May 22, 2008 01:36 AM
Chris:
I didn't find enough information in the report to answer your question, which is a question I also have. Are pollutions high because of human activity or wildlife activity? Interestingly, I did catch part of a radio news report yesterday, totally unrelated to Save the Bay's report, that scientists in one of the Gulf states were trying to figure out how to control beach bacteria buildups caused by large bird populations. Hmmm.
Posted by: Andrew Bird | May 22, 2008 09:10 AM
Andrew ... I saw the AP story on this today in which they identified Avalon Harbor on Catalina Island as the most polluted.
I have a close connection to that area and can't attribute this to anything other than perhaps a waste water treatment problem. The remaining human impact is negligible there. Frankly, the water is pretty clean and the sea life is abundant.
As for the boats, the harbor patrol puts a dye tablet into your toilet tank when you enter and illegal flushing results in a stiff fine plus a one-year ban from mooring.
So is this, too, some other native plant or animal issue?
Posted by: Chris Crawford | May 22, 2008 12:29 PM
Andrew,
Sorry if it came off that way, I didn't take it personal.
It seems your the only one reading my blog and commenting on it so I wanted to explain things.
Sorry again if I sounded like a was angry or anything like that.
In fact, I'm the exact opposite.
Keep on reading good sir!
Posted by: Ray Aspuria | May 22, 2008 02:54 PM
On the bright side, a decrease in deadly spotted owl excrement was noted in the water report.
Posted by: Robb Willis | May 23, 2008 12:22 PM