Here are L.A.’s Cleanest—and Dirtiest—Beaches, Graded by Heal the Bay
Looking north on Venice Beach, the popular hangout spot is barren due to the coronavirus outbreak. Saturday, March 28. 12:31PM
[dropcap size=big]I[/dropcap]n what is already proving to be a long, drawn-out pandemic summer, beaches in Los Angeles County will once again be closed over the July 4th weekend. The safety of the city is deemed too difficult to maintain on crowded beach weekends, and we may be dealing with closed beaches all summer. Despite the fact that when properly maintained, our city's beaches can be one of the few respites from the heat and isolation caused by social distancing.
However, if and when we are ever allowed to play that game where scamper away from the breaking waves again, what beach has the cleanest saltwater? Heal the Bay released their annual report card for our county's beaches, letting us know where the water is safe and where it may have more issues. Most of the worst beach water pollution comes when it rains. A beach can easily go from an A rating to an F after a rainstorm, as our storm drains and creeks empty right into the ocean. The grades below are for beaches during dry summer days.
The county has 29 beaches with A+ grades, including popular spots such as Santa Monica beach at Strand Street, and Venice Beach at Topsail Street. The lowest grade for the Summer months is the F given to both Cabrillo Beach and Topanga Beach in front of the creek mouth. Other popular locations with poor grades this summer include Long Beach City Beach, at Granada Avenue, and Paradise Cove Pier at Ramirez Canyon Creek.
The full list of beach grades, in alphabetical order, are below. Some beaches did not receive a letter grade for this season, but all of them have good winter grades so they are likely cleaner than average. You can dig into the full report card of beaches statewide on the Heal the Bay website, where they also discuss COVID-19’s impact on beach water quality as visitorship increases in the summer months.
| Beach Name | Summer Dry Grade |
| Escondido State Beach, at Escondido Creek | C |
| Alamitos Bay, at 2nd St. Bridge and Bayshore | B |
| Alamitos Bay, at 56th Place on bayside | A+ |
| Alamitos Bay, at shore float | A+ |
| Avalon Beach, 100 feet west of the Green Pleasure Pier | A |
| Avalon Beach, 50 feet east of the Green Pleasure Pier | A |
| Avalon Beach, 50 feet west of the Green Pleasure Pier | A |
| Avalon Beach, east of the Casino Arch at the steps | A+ |
| Back of main channel (at depth) | A+ |
| Back of main channel (from surface) | A+ |
| Basin D, near first slip outside swim area (at depth) | A |
| Basin D, near first slip outside swim area (from surface) | A |
| Basin E, center of basin (at depth) | A |
| Basin E, center of basin (from surface) | A |
| Basin E, in front of Boone-Olive Pump Outlet | A |
| Basin E, in front of tide gate from Oxford Basin | A |
| Basin F, center of basin (at depth) | A+ |
| Basin F, center of basin (from surface) | A+ |
| Belmont Pier, west side | A |
| Big Rock Beach, at stairs | A |
| Broad Beach, at Trancas Creek | A |
| Cabrillo Beach, harborside at boat launch | B |
| Cabrillo Beach, harborside at restrooms | F |
| Cabrillo Beach, ocean side | A |
| Carbon Beach, at Sweetwater Canyon | A+ |
| Castle Rock Beach, at storm drain | A |
| Colorado Lagoon, north | A |
| Colorado Lagoon, south | A |
| Dan Blocker County Beach, at Solstice Canyon | C |
| Dockweiler State Beach, at Ballona Creek mouth | A |
| Dockweiler State Beach, at Culver Blvd. | A+ |
| Dockweiler State Beach, at Grand Ave. | A+ |
| Dockweiler State Beach, at Imperial Highway storm drain | A+ |
| Dockweiler State Beach, at North Weschester storm drain | A |
| Dockweiler State Beach, at World Way | A+ |
| Hermosa Beach Pier, 50 yards south of pier | A |
| Hermosa City Beach, at 26th Street | A+ |
| Herondo Street (Redondo Breakwater) | A |
| Hyperion Treatment Plant, at One Mile Outfall | A+ |
| Las Flores State Beach, at Las Flores Creek | A |
| Las Tunas County Beach, at Pena Creek | A |
| Latigo Canyon Creek mouth | A |
| Leo Carrillo Beach, at Arroyo Sequit Creek | C |
| Long Beach City Beach, at 10th Place | A |
| Long Beach City Beach, at 55th Place | A |
| Long Beach City Beach, at 5th Place | B |
| Long Beach City Beach, at 72nd Place | A |
| Long Beach City Beach, at Coronado Ave. | B |
| Long Beach City Beach, at Granada Av. | D |
| Long Beach City Beach, at Molino Av. | A |
| Long Beach City Beach, at Prospect Ave. | C |
| Long Beach Mothers' Beach, north end | A |
| Malibu Pier, 50 yards east of pier | A+ |
| Malibu Point | A |
| Manhattan Beach Pier | A+ |
| Manhattan Beach, at 28th Street | A |
| Manhattan State Beach, at 40th Street | A+ |
| Marie Canyon storm drain, at Puerco Beach | B |
| Marina del Rey Mothers' Beach, at lifeguard tower | A |
| Marina del Rey Mothers' Beach, at playground | A |
| Marina del Rey Mothers' Beach, between Lifeguard Tower and Boat dock | C |
| Will Rogers State Beach, 1/4 mile east of Sunset Blvd. drain | |
| Avalon Beach, 100 feet east of the Green Pleasure Pier | |
| San Pedro, Wilder Annex | |
| Ballona Creek, 50 yards south of creek mouth | |
| Imperial Highway storm drain, 50 yards north | |
| Pulga Canyon, 50 yards east of storm drain | |
| Will Rogers State Beach, Santa Monica Canyon | |
| Santa Monica Pier, 50 yards south of pier | |
| Santa Monica Beach, at Pico-Kenter storm drain | |
| Ashland Ave., 50 yards south of storm drain | |
| Venice City Beach, at Windward Ave. | |
| Tuna Canyon | |
| El Matador State Beach, at Encinal Canyon | |
| Unnamed Creek Mouth, at 24822 Malibu Rd. | |
| Nicholas Beach, at San Nicholas Canyon Creek | A |
| Ocean Park Beach, at Ashland Ave. storm drain | A+ |
| Palos Verdes Estates, at Malaga Cove rocks | A+ |
| Palos Verdes Estates, at Malaga Cove trail outlet | A+ |
| Palos Verdes Estates, at Palos Verdes Cove | A+ |
| Paradise Cove Pier, at Ramirez Canyon Creek | D |
| Puerco State Beach, at creek mouth | B |
| Rancho Palos Verdes, Abalone Cove Shoreline Park | A+ |
| Rancho Palos Verdes, Long Point | A+ |
| Rancho Palos Verdes, Portuguese Bend Cove | A+ |
| Redondo Beach Pier, 100 yards south of pier | A |
| Redondo State Beach, at Sapphire Street | A |
| Redondo State Beach, at Topaz Street | A+ |
| Royal Palms State Beach | A |
| Santa Monica Beach, at Montana Ave. | A |
| Santa Monica Beach, at Pico-Kenter storm drain | A |
| Santa Monica Beach, at Strand St. | A+ |
| Santa Monica Beach, at Wilshire Blvd. | A |
| Santa Monica Pier | B |
| Surfrider Beach, at lagoon breach | B |
| Topanga Beach, at creek mouth | F |
| Torrance Beach, at Avenue I storm drain | A |
| Unnamed Creek Mouth, at Zumirez Dr. | B |
| Venice Beach, 50 yards south of Fishing Pier | A+ |
| Venice Beach, at Rose Ave. | A |
| Venice Beach, at Topsail St. | A+ |
| Venice Beach, at Windward Ave. | B |
| Venice City Beach, at Brooks Ave. drain | A+ |
| Walnut Creek Outlet, at Wildlife Road | A |
| Will Rogers State Beach, at Pulga Canyon storm drain | A+ |
| Will Rogers State Beach, at Santa Monica Canyon | A |
| Will Rogers State Beach, at Temescal Canyon | A+ |
| Will Rogers State Beach, Bel Air Bay Club | A |
| Zuma Beach, at Zuma Creek | A |
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