Beach Closures
Three Ventura County beaches are posted with “no swimming” signs this week because of excessive bacteria in the water.
Closed to swimmers are Deer Creek Beach 50 yards south of the creek mouth, Hobie Beach and Channel Islands Harbor Beach Park in Oxnard.
Water pollution has been a problem at the Hobie and Channel Islands beaches since last year. Officials at the county’s Environmental Health Division are continuing their attempts to identify and eliminate the sources of the bacteria contamination.
Channel Islands Harbor Beach Park, also known as Kiddie Beach, was chosen the most polluted beach in Southern California as part of Heal the Bay’s 10th annual report card, which was released last spring.
Swimmers should keep at least 50 yards from each side of the closure signs to avoid bacteria, health division officials say.
Weekly beach testing occurs at 53 sites in Ventura County, and results can be obtained by calling the county’s ocean water quality hotline at 662-6555 or by visiting the division’s Web site at https://www.ventura.org/env_hlth/ocean.htm.
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