Health Officials Lift Beach Closure

Health officials Monday lifted a beach closure advisory for Long Beach after bacteria levels that had risen above normal after a sewage spill last week dipped down to state standards, authorities said.

Last week, a sewage spill caused by torrential rains flooded into the Los Angeles River at a rate of 40,000 gallons per hour and led to beach closures.

In Long Beach, where the shoreline is bracketed by two waterways -- the San Gabriel River and the Los Angeles River -- concern was particularly high.

The sewage leak began Jan. 9 near Eagle Rock and dumped 2.4 million gallons of untreated waste into the Los Angeles River. The spill was contained two days later after heavy storms ended and workers could fix the pipes.