How Clean was my Beach, Lake, or Stream During the Past Week or Month?

The vast majority of the time, California beaches are open and available for recreational uses visitors enjoy. Unfortunately, there are times when it is not advisable to go in the waters due to bacterial contamination.

• Heal the Bay Ocean Beach Report Card
  A third party rating system that evaluates the water quality of individual California beaches, based on the previous 4 weeks of monitoring results. Data are submitted to the State Water Resources Control Board from county health agencies. These report cards are updated weekly. Report card grades are based on the State's water quality standards for recreational waters. Click on a county and then on a specific beach to view information about that beach. In the beach-specific window, click on the Historical Data tab to view the history of grades for that beach. Not a state-affiliated website.
  
  
• Ocean Beach Closures and Postings via State Water Board Beach Watch Website
  The Beach Watch system provides centralized information on beach postings and closures, supplied by county health agencies. This information is generally between 15 and 45 days old, but may be more than 180 days old due to data submission and processing errors.
  • Postings - Warnings to avoid contact with the water. Monitoring shows bacterial levels exceed standards.
  • Closures - Prohibitions on uses of water. Imminent public health threats, such as sewage spills.
    
    
• Assessments for Freshwater Lakes and Streams
  Currently, few agencies and organizations provide such assessments electronically. Contact your local park, concessionaire, or county health agency for more information..