Ocean Water Quality Sampling Results
Beaches Currently Posted and Advisories
Updated: October 2, 2024 at 4:42 PM
Sampling results indicate that water quality at all monitored beaches meets the State standards for bacteria. At this time there are no beaches in Ventura County posted with ocean water quality warning signs.
You may also call the telephone hotline at (805) 662-6555 for any updates on beach postings, status, and ocean water quality.
Interactive Map:
The interactive map is a service provided to beachgoers concerning the bacteriological quality of waters throughout Ventura County. Click on any colored pin on the map to view the latest bacteriological quality results of a beach.
Legend:
Meets State standards for bacteria.
WARNING – Avoid contact with ocean water due to sewage contamination or other health hazards.
Exceed State standards for bacteria and may cause illness. Also used when a rainfall advisory is in effect.
Post-rainfall advisory. Sampling results may not reflect the current bacteriological water quality.
Not sampled due to inaccessibility, unsafe conditions, lab accident, wet-weather or holiday monitoring schedule.
Sample results for the week of: September 29, 2024
Season: Dry-Weather Season
State of California Ocean Water Quality Bacteriological Standards:
State of California Ocean Water Quality Bacterial Standards:
The minimum protective bacteriological standards for water adjacent to public beaches and public water-contact sports areas shall be as follows:
Bacteria | State Bacterial Standards |
Total coliform | <10,000 MPN per 100 ml |
Fecal coliform | <400 MPN per 100 ml |
Enterococcus | <104 MPN per 100 ml |
Ratio | >1,000 total coliform bacteria MPN per 100 ml, if the ratio of fecal/total coliform bacteria exceeds 0.1 |
* MPN: Most Probable Number; bacteria count per 100 ml of water
Based on the mean of the logarithms (geometric mean) of the result of at least five weekly samples during any 30-day sampling period, the density of bacteria in water from any sampling station at a public beach or public water contact sports area, shall not exceed:
• Total coliform bacteria: 1,000 per 100 milliliters; or
• Fecal coliform bacteria: 200 per 100 milliliters; or
• Enterococcus bacteria: 35 per 100 milliliters.
Signs:
Warning Sign for Bacteriological Contamination
A warning sign is posted when a sampling result indicates that water quality failed to meet State standards for bacteria.
The sign advises beachgoers to avoid body contact with ocean water due to an increased risk to human health. Contact with ocean water should be avoided for a minimum of 50 yards on either side of each posted sign. The signs will remain posted until water quality meets State standards for bacteria.
Permanent Warning Signs
Permanent warning signs are installed at some Ventura County beaches where storm drains, outfalls, channels, rivers and creeks flow or pond. The signs advise beachgoers to avoid contact with ponded or flowing runoff water because it may cause illness.
Sewage Warning Sign
A sewage warning sign is posted if the Division has been notified of a sewage release and warning discharged into the ocean.
Ocean water should be avoided due to sewage contamination.
Advisories:
Rainfall Advisory
A Rainfall Advisory is issued if rainfall is significant enough to result in runoff which can flow into storm drains, channels, creeks, and rivers that empty onto the beaches of Ventura County. In general, 0.2 inches (2 tenths of an inch) of rainfall may be enough to create significant runoff conditions. The advisory will remain in effect for 72 hours after the end of all predicted rainfall.
Seasons:
The Ocean Water Quality Monitoring Program has two regular seasons, the Dry-Weather and Wet-Weather seasons. Forty (40) samples are collected during the Dry-Weather season and nineteen (19) samples during the Wet-Weather season.
Dry-Weather Season
During the Dry-Weather season, water sampling is conducted from April 1 through October 31. Samples are collected from 40 public beaches twice a week, generally on Mondays and Tuesdays. On Mondays, samples are collected in the North Coast locations from Rincon Beach to Surfer’s Knoll Beach. On Tuesdays, samples are collected in the South Coast locations from Oxnard Beach on 5th Street to Staircase Beach in Malibu. Re-samples are conducted during this season.
Wet-Weather Season
Ocean water sampling during the Wet-Weather season is conducted from November 1 through March 31 annually. During this season, sampling sites are significantly reduced, a level commensurate with available State funding. Sampling is only conducted once per week on Tuesdays. When a beach fails to meet State standards for bacteria, a warning sign is posted on the beach and the telephone hotline is updated. No re-samples are conducted during this season.
