New Web site provides water quality of California beaches
Sentinel Staff Report
Santa Cruz Sentinel
08/28/2009
A Web site debuting this summer provides a one-stop shop for people wanting to know the health of a local river or beach.
The online effort is spearheaded by the California Water Resources Control Board and combs data from water agencies and independent research groups across the state.
The site, at http://waterboards.ca.gov/mywaterquality/safe_to_swim/, allows users to select a coastal county, like Santa Cruz, and pin down the conditions of a specific water spot.
Bacteria levels at beaches, what rivers and streams are impaired and water projects underway can be found.
"Particularly for people out of the area, it might help people decide which beach to go to," said John Ricker, Santa Cruz County's Water Resources Division director. His office provides much of the raw data included in the state Web site.
