Heal the Bay released its 29th annual beach report card its week, and for the sixth straight year in a row, Clam Beach has received an F for its recreational water quality.
This year Clam Beach was ranked second worst in the state, right after San Clemente Pier in Orange County. Four of the other five beaches in Humboldt County where water quality is monitored by the county received passing grades — Mad River Beach got an A+, Trinidad State Beach received an A, and Moonstone and Luffenholtz beaches received grades of C.
“We all know Clam Beach has been on list for the past six years and it fluctuates where it is on the list,” said Amanda Ruddy, supervising environmental health specialist at the county’s Department of Health and Human Services. “I think it’s important to note last year, we had Luffenholtz on that list and it’s not on the list this year.”
The water quality at beaches across the state dipped during the past year, primarily because of increased rainfall that led to more runoff being carried into the seas through the storm drain systems, according to the beach report card.
