Two beaches in Lincoln County have been added to the five a state agency will monitor in 2024 and 2025 for unsafe levels of bacteria.
The list of current and new beach monitoring sites was created based on high recreational use, nearby pollution hazards, previously measured high bacteria levels, and public comments.
The Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality program monitors water along the coast for fecal bacteria and reports elevated levels to the public. The DEQ regularly samples and tests marine water and freshwater at about 20 beaches along Oregon’s 360 miles of coastline between May and September. The OHA issues advisories at beaches where bacteria levels are found to be unsafe.
The two agencies re-evaluate beaches and sampling locations every two years to ensure available resources best protect public health. The proposed list includes some of the most frequently visited beaches in Oregon; beaches where the program has previously found bacteria; and beaches for which local partners and the public have requested monitoring due to pollution concerns.
In Lincoln County, the agencies added Ona Beach at Brian Booth/Beaver Creek State Park north of Seal Rock and Siletz Bay in Lincoln City. The agencies currently monitor beaches at D River State Park, Beverly Beach, Agate Beach State Park and Nye Beach in Newport, and Seal Rock State Park.
The agencies monitor three beaches in Clatsop County, two in Coos County, four in Curry County, one in Lane County and seven in Tillamook County.
More information about the beach monitoring program is available at its website http://www.healthoregon.org/beach
