BEACHES RIDING WAVE OF CLEANLINESS.

Byline: Dana Bartholomew Staff Writer

Contrary to popular belief about ocean pollution in Southern California, most beaches have gotten better in recent years and usually are in ``excellent condition,'' an environmental group reported Tuesday.

In its 11th annual beach report card, Heal the Bay of Santa Monica said most beaches are sewage-free and clean enough to surf in dry weather although serious concerns remain during heavy rains because of runoff pollution.

``We've moved a long way toward improving water quality since 1985,'' said James Alamillo, director of the Heal the Bay report card program. ``We know where the problem areas are, and have begun addressing them.''

Water quality officials credited long-standing efforts to divert storm runoff into sewage lines and plug leaky pipes.

Los Angeles County Lifeguard Chuck Moore, in his 24th year on the sand, said the water is better than ever at Zuma Beach.

``Malibu, for the most part, is clean,'' he said. ``There's as much wildlife now as there's ever been - pelicans, sea lions, dolphins - sometimes we refer to it as The Wild Kingdom.

``More people are concerned with rip tides than sewage: The sewage might make you sick, but the rip tides will kill ya,'' Moore said.

The Heal the Bay verdict is based on daily and weekly bacterial indicators in public surf zones. Of 375 beaches measured in Southern California during dry conditions in 2000-2001, 234 - or 62 percent - got A grades.

But add a few inches of rain, and 68 percent of Southland beaches turn sour with untreated runoff tainted with motor oil, animal waste, pesticides, yard detritus and garbage.

Poor water circulation, polluted storm water runoff and fecal matter caused by birds and human sewage continue to plague beaches such as Surfrider Beach in Malibu and Hobie and Kiddie beaches in Oxnard, according to the report.

``The majority of beaches are good to go,'' Alamillo said. ``But there are small pockets of concern.''

Those pockets include Arroyo Quemada beach in Santa Barbara County, which scored worst on Heal the Bay's 10 most polluted ``beach bummers,'' which exceeded state health standards for evidence of fecal bacteria 73 percent of the year.

Channel Islands Harbor Beach in Oxnard scored second, and Avalon Bay Beach at Catalina, Surfrider, and Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro Bay scored eighth, ninth and 10th, respectively.

Of the 10 most polluted beaches in Southern California this year, two were in Orange County and three were in San Diego County. To control contamination, city, county and regional water control agencies have continually worked to plug sources of pollution, divert dry-weather runoff, control septic tanks and clean storm drains.

Some efforts even include discouraging guano-rich seabirds from settling and chasing off feral cats that once turned Kiddie and Hobie beaches into giant cat boxes.

The problem, water quality experts way, is that the worst beaches hug areas difficult to flush by tidal or other natural means. Karen Caesar of the Regional Water Quality Control Board said her agency is committed to making Surfrider and other beaches safe for swimming.

``I get a lot of reports from surfers: they get sores, they're concerned about the quality of the water,'' said Ventura County Supervisor John Flynn, frustrated over progress in cleaning up Oxnard harbor beaches.

``It's going to take a monumental effort to clean up and get control of runoff - you name it, it all ends up in the ocean, and it's bound to be dirty.''

On the whole, however, the prognosis for swimmers looks good.

``For the most part, it's fairly safe,'' said Richard Kebabjian, chief of recreational health programs for the Los Angeles Department of Health Services. ``And if you compare it to most East Coast beaches, the West Coast looks pretty good.''

BEACH BUMMERS

While 234 out of 375 Southern California beaches have been listed as Grade-A clean on the Santa Monica-based Heal the Bay 2000-2001 beach report card, 82 beaches received a C grade or worse during dry weather conditions. These are the 10 most polluted beaches:

1. Arroyo Quemada, Santa Barbara County

2. Channel Islands Harbor Beach Park (Hobie and Kiddie Beach), Ventura County

3. Doheny Beach at Dana Point, Orange County

4. Pacific Beach at Pacific Beach Point (downcoast of Linda Way, San Diego County

5. Baby Beach at Dana Point Harbor, Orange County

6. The Visitor's Center (projection of Clairemont Drive) at Mission Bay, San Diego County

7. Tijuana Slough (Tijuana River outlet), San Diego County

8. Avalon Bay Beach at Catalina Island, Los Angeles County

9. Surfrider Beach at Malibu, Los Angeles County

10. Cabrillo Beach, harborside at San Pedro Bay, Los Angeles County

Reminder: Beachgoers are warned not to surf or swim within 100 yards of any flowing storm drain and for three days after a rainstorm because of potential bacteria.

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Four-year-old Andrew Cohen of Winnetka goes on an adventure Wednesday on the rocky shore of Topanga County Beach.

Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer

Box: Beach Bummers (see text)

SOURCE: Heal the Bay