Water fine when it’s dry

The water off Huntington Beach was clean during the past year except during rainy weather, according to an annual report released by Santa Monica-based watchdog Heal the Bay on Wednesday.

The beaches at Bolsa Chica State Park were the cleanest, receiving A and B grades in both dry and wet weather, according to the Beach Report Card. Huntington City Beach at Seapoint and 17th Street also received those passing letters.

The story gets a little dirtier the farther south one goes.

Huntington City Beach where Jack’s Snack Bar is and at Beach Boulevard both got A grades during dry weather, but just a passing C during rains.

The waters at Newland Street got a C grade in wet weather, Magnolia an F and Brookhurst a D.

Not surprisingly, the water around the Santa Ana River received the poorest grades during rainy weather.

A failing score means beachgoers face a higher risk of contracting infections and illnesses such as stomach flu, ear and upper respiratory infections and skin rashes.

Usually untreated urban run-off, which flushes through the storm drains into the oceans, is the main cause of beach pollution.

About 80% of Southern California beaches during summer received A grades, but that number dropped to 37% during wet weather, with 31% of the beaches getting F grades, according to the report card.

Elsewhere in Orange County, Seal Beach, Newport Beach and San Clemente also got A grades during dry weather.

Los Angeles County had the worst grades, including the top five most polluted beaches in California. But the South Bay and Palos Verdes managed to hold up their A status.

Heal the Bay assigns an A to F letter grade to more than 450 beaches in California based on levels of daily or weekly bacterial pollution levels.

“This Beach Report Card demonstrates that just because you go to the beach in a multimillion-dollar neighborhood doesn’t guarantee it is safe for swimming,” Mark Gold, executive director of Heal the Bay, said in a statement.

BEACH REPORT CARD

Sunset Beach at Broadway: A+ dry, A wet

Surfside Beach at Sea Way: A+ dry, B wet

Huntington Harbour, Mother’s Beach: A dry, D wet

Huntington Harbour, Trinidad Lane Beach: A dry, F wet

Huntington Harbour, Humboldt Beach: A dry, F wet

Huntington Harbour, Sea Gate Lagoon: A+ dry, B wet

Huntington Harbour, Davenport Beach: A+ dry, F wet

Huntington Harbour, Coral Cay Beach: A dry, D wet

Huntington Harbour, 11th Street Beach: A dry, F wet

Bolsa Chica Beach at Reserve Flood Gates: A dry, B wet

Bolsa Chica State Beach: A dry, B wet

Huntington City Beach at Jack’s Snack Bar: A dry, C wet

Huntington City Beach at Beach Boulevard: A dry, C wet

Huntington State Beach at Newland Street: A dry, C wet

Huntington State Beach at Magnolia Street: A dry, F wet

Huntington State Beach at Brookhurst Street: A dry, D wet

Source: Heal the Bay