Poor water quality at Avalon Beach
Heal the Bay's weekly dry-weather grades for Catalina Island, issued September 11th, put Avalon Beach (100' west of Green Pleasure Pier) and Avalon Beach (50' west of Green Pleasure Pier) at D. County health departments sample these beaches at least once a week and measure 3 fecal indicator bacteria, total coliform, fecal coliform, and Enterococcus, which stand in for the pathogens that make swimmers sick. The grade summarizes those samples. It does not report a spill, a beach closure, or any single incident. Each grade covers bacteria levels at one sampling point, so water a few hundred yards along the same beach can test very differently. Levels run highest beside storm drain and creek outlets, and for roughly 3 days after rain.





