Newport Beach City Manager Update: Heal the Bay Report Card
By Guest Contributor Grace Leung, Newport Beach City Manager – June 18, 2023
Source: Newport Beach Independent Newport Beach City Manager Update: Heal the Bay Report Card
Grace Leung, Newport Beach City Manager
Newport Beach scored high marks during the summer season in the 33rd Annual Heal the Bay Beach Report Card, released Wednesday, June 14.
Of the 36 Newport Beach bay and ocean testing sites listed in the report, 32 earned an A or A+ during the summer season, when the beaches are most frequented. Four sites earned a B grade. Heal the Bay’s annual report measures bacterial pollution for more than 700 West Coast beaches, from Washington to Baja, ranking them and grading their water quality from A to F.
Newport Beach’s grades were consistent with other California beaches, 94% of which received an A or B grade during the summer season.
Earning consistently high marks for water quality is more difficult during the wet weather, when rainfall washes bacteria and other toxins into oceans and bays. During the wet weather, five Newport Beach ocean-facing beaches received an F, while two earned B grades. Encouragingly, all Newport Harbor locations were graded A+, A or B during wet weather. Fewer beaches received winter dry grades because most of the winter data was collected during wet weather.
Source: Newport Beach Independent Newport Beach City Manager Update: Balboa Peninsula Safety, Heal the Bay Report Card
This week I’d like to recognize critical, often unsung members of our City team who perform a vital service during rainstorms: the Utilities Department crews that pump storm water and operate the tide valves on Balboa Island and the Peninsula.
The valves, which were built in the 1970s to replace a system from the early 1900s, are necessary to prevent flooding in low-lying areas. They are manually operated, and need to be closed during high tides to prevent seawater from flooding the streets. Once the tide recedes, crews reopen the valves — nearly 90 in total — to allow water to flow from streets to the bay.
In some ways, on some days, we all live trashy lives.
Even an inadvertently dropped gum wrapper via the forces of gravity, wind, and water runoff finds itself in company with all manner of discarded detritus heading to our oceans and beaches.
Trash is strictly a human byproduct. Just walk Newport’s sands after a crowded summer day. Or stand by the outflow of the Santa Ana River, or the entrance to the Upper Bay estuary post-storm to witness the “flood” of trash tangled in broken foliage washed downstream, to either float offshore, rest on our beaches or become locked in the life-giving vegetation of the Back Bay.
In some ways, on some days, we all live trashy lives.
Even an inadvertently dropped gum wrapper via the forces of gravity, wind, and water runoff finds itself in company with all manner of discarded detritus heading to our oceans and beaches.
Trash is strictly a human byproduct. Just walk Newport’s sands after a crowded summer day. Or stand by the outflow of the Santa Ana River, or the entrance to the Upper Bay estuary post-storm to witness the “flood” of trash tangled in broken foliage washed downstream, to either float offshore, rest on our beaches or become locked in the life-giving vegetation of the Back Bay.
2022 Most Innovative Program
The City’s Harbor Department Code Enforcement Division was recognized as the “2022 Most Innovative Program” at the recent California Association of Code Enforcement Officers annual conference.
High Marks from Pumpout & Dump Station Monitoring Program
Southern California Clean Vessel Act Pumpout & Dump Station Monitoring Program
Recent surveys were conducted on the following Public Docks on Sep 27, 2022.
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