Poipu Beach (Kauai, HI)
Located on the southern shores of Kauai, Hawaii?s fourth largest island, Poipu Beach is no stranger to Top 10 listings. In 2007, Shermans Travel rated it one of the top 10 beach destinations for families, and the Travel Channel has ranked it one of the best beaches for families in the world. A protected lagoon provides a safe, shallow area for young kids to play in, and a series of off-shore coral reefs creates ideal conditions for surfing and snorkeling.
Those coral reefs don?t just attract a variety of marine life, they also serve another important role in the marine ecosystem: They act as natural filters to clean the water.
To achieve a five-star rating, it also helps that Poipu Beach is located on a sparsely populated island that has little animal agriculture. Runoff from such farms is particularly detrimental to water quality because the abundance of animal waste contains bacteria, viruses and other pathogens that can sicken humans.
Percentage of sample days where water quality exceeded national standards:
2007: 1%
2006: 1%
2005: 0%
Frequency of testing: 2x/week
If you didn?t see your favorite beach here, check out the NRDC Beach Rating Table for the complete listings.
Bolsa Chica State Beach (Orange County, CA)
Southern California?s Bolsa Chica State Beach offers three miles of Pacific coastline with no shortage of activities for outdoor-lovers. Marine-enthusiasts can wade into the surf to fish by pole or by hand, and a nearby ecological preserve offers excellent bird-watching opportunities. A bike trail running parallel to the sand offers continuous ocean views. The dry climate and moderate year-round temperatures make this an excellent vacation destination any time of year.
The dry climate isn?t just a boon for tourists — it also may be helping to keep the water clean. That?s because storm water runoff is often the biggest source of bacterial contamination in the ocean. In many cases, less rainfall can mean a lower concentration of indicator bacteria.
Bolsa Chica State Beach also benefits from being located in California. The state?s strict requirements for water testing and quick public notification of problems helped this beach snag a five-star rating.
Percentage of sample days where water quality exceeded national standards:
At Bolsa Chica Beach 2007: 2%
2006: 3%
2005: 3%
Frequency of testing: 5x/week
At Bolsa Chica Reserve 2007: 4%
2006: 5%
2005: 3%
Frequency of testing: 5x/week
Salt Pond Beach Park (Kauai, HI)
Salt Pond Beach is not really a pond. It?s actually a small inlet on the Pacific Ocean that?s protected by a broken line of rocks jutting out above the ocean?s surface. The end result is a protected cove that?s excellent for snorkeling, swimming and exploring tidepools. This unique coastal area is so clean that part of it is still used every summer by native Hawaiians for traditional salt-making.
Part of what keeps Salt Pond Beach Park so clean is that it?s on the relatively unpopulated island of Kauai, which has fewer than 60,000 residents. Fewer people means less pavement, which means there?s more porous surface areas for rainwater to seep into during a storm. The less runoff that flows directly into the ocean, the cleaner the beach water remains.
More importantly, fewer people generally mean fewer pets, and fewer pets mean less improperly disposed of animal waste to run off into the ocean during a rainstorm. Of course, the problem wouldn?t exist at all, no matter what the population size, if people faithfully cleaned up after their dogs and kept their cats inside.
Percentage of sample days where water quality exceeded national standards:
2007: 3%
2006: 3%
2005: 0%
Frequency of testing: 2x/week
Laguna Beach (Orange County, CA)
Located in southern California, southeast of Santa Ana, Laguna Beach is a seven-mile stretch of white, sandy beaches and protected coves along the Pacific Ocean. This resort town is known as much for its world-class beaches as for its burgeoning artistic community that features numerous art galleries and several annual arts festivals. With long expanses of coastline, the nearby San Joaquin Hills and creativity everywhere, it?s hard not to be inspired.
An innovative new urban runoff management program at Laguna Beach has helped make the water even cleaner. Even during the long, dry months from April to December, urban runoff into the ocean presented a serious challenge to water quality. That?s because various urban activities (from lawn watering and car washing to various industry practices) produce water that flows into storm drains — and then ultimately out to sea. This water carries with it a high concentration of pollution — from animal waste and lawn pesticides to fluids dripped on the ground from cars and trucks.
To solve this problem, the city of Laguna Beach built a system to divert this polluted runoff to their sewage treatment plant. While the diversion system doesn?t work during heavy rains (the volume is too much for the treatment plant to handle), the dry climate that tourists so love also means that runoff is rare, so pollutants aren’t often sent untreated into the oceans.
Percentage of sample days where water quality exceeded national standards:
At Blue Lagoon
2007: 1%
2006: 3%
2005: 4%
Frequency of testing: 2x/week
At Crescent Bay
2007: 0%
2006: 0%
2005: 0%
Frequency of testing: 2x/week
At Emerald Bay
2007: 0%
2006: 0%
2005: 4%
Frequency of testing: 2x/week
At Laguna Lido
2007: 0%
2006: 0%
2005: 1%
Frequency of testing: 2x/week
At Main Beach
2007: 0%
2006: 4%
2005: 0%
Frequency of testing: 2x/week
Park Point (Duluth, MN)
Think you need to travel to the east or west coast for crystal blue waters, cool summer breezes and surf to play in? Think again. The beaches at Park Point, along the north shore of Lake Superior, offer opportunities for hiking, biking, skating, swimming — and yes, waves frequently big enough to surf. What else would you expect from the world?s largest freshwater lake?
Although the Great Lakes are home to some truly fabulous beaches, Park Point was the only one to achieve a 5-star rating for water quality.
?Many communities around the Great Lakes have old sewage systems, which are more likely to leak,? explains Nancy Stoner. ?Even worse, many Great Lakes cities have combined sewage and storm water pipes, so if there?s heavy rain, the sewage overflows and gets released into the water untreated.?
But not in Duluth. This city of 86,000 has separate sewage and storm water pipes, making heavy rainfall less detrimental to water quality.
Percentage of sample days where water quality exceeded national standards:
At Lafayette Community Club
2007: 0%
2006: 0%
2005: 0%
Frequency of testing: 2x/week
At Beach House
2007: 0%
2006: 0%
2005: 0%
Frequency of testing: 2x/week
At 13th Street
2007: 2%
2006: 0%
2005: 0%
Frequency of testing: 2x/week
Wailea Beach Park (Maui, HI)
Tucked between a dormant volcano and the south shore of Maui, Wailea Beach Park is one of the island?s most popular beaches, attracting both tourists and island residents alike. And it?s no wonder. A nearby coral reef offers the ample opportunity to explore a diversity of marine life. The south-facing shoreline is far more protected than Maui?s north shore, and the calm waters make it a perfect destination for families with kids.
The Wailea Resort community has taken several steps to keep its waters pure and clear. To minimize the impact of storm water on water quality, drainage areas are kept clean and clear, with grasses providing natural filtration. The community also works with local golf courses to help them reduce the use of fertilizers, which can lead to problematic algal blooms.
In addition, local home and business owners contribute to a fund that helps pay for routine cleaning of the streets and beaches to keep them free of trash.
?If a beach looks dirty, you can be pretty sure the water quality is less than ideal,? explains Stoner.
While trash itself doesn?t directly increase the amount of bacteria in the water, trash attracts seagulls and other wildlife — and this concentration of wildlife creates a spike in animal waste that can contaminate the water.
Percentage of sample days where water quality exceeded national standards:
2007: 3%
2006: 0%
2005: 3%
Frequency of testing: 2x/week
Ocean City?s beaches (Ocean City, Maryland)
For those from outside the state, Maryland conjures up two images: crab cakes and Ocean City?s beaches and boardwalk. Located on the southern tip of a narrow barrier spit that stretches up the Atlantic all the way into Delaware, Ocean City offers coastal recreation as well as a variety of land activities for people of all ages — from amusement parks and mini-golf for kids to skydiving for adults.
Hundreds of thousands of vacationers visit Ocean City?s beaches each year — and for good reason. The beaches, once polluted, are now among the country?s most pristine.
Part of what?s helped improve Ocean City?s water quality is some innovative approaches to storm water management. Porous pavement allows more storm water to seep into the ground rather than flow into the ocean. Wetland ponds and vegetation buffers also help capture and filter runoff before it contaminates the local beaches.
Percentage of sample days where water quality exceeded national standards:
2007: 0%
2006: 3%
2005: 5%
Frequency of testing: Not available
Magic Island Beach (Honolulu, HI)
This popular Hawaiian beach is on a small, man-made peninsula that jets out into Mamala Bay, forming a protected swimming lagoon. Magic Island, also known as Aina Moana, is a hit with locals and tourists alike. With its warm turquoise waters and views of Waikiki and Honolulu, it?s a popular spot for weddings and holiday celebrations.
You wouldn?t necessarily expect that a tucked-away swimming area near a larger city would have some of the country?s cleanest water. But Hawaii provides a great example of how beaches can remain clean and safe when the local and state governments have the willpower to protect them. And that willpower exists in spades in Hawaii, where the economy is heavily dependant on beach-centered tourism.
Good waste water and storm water treatment, coupled with strict laws about water testing and informing the public of potential hazards, made this urban beach a stand out in all five categories of the NRDC?s water quality ranking system.
Percentage of sample days where water quality exceeded national standards:
2007: 1%
2006: 4%
2005: 0%
Frequency of testing: 2x/week
Hampton Beach (Hampton, N.H.)
Located along the 18 miles of New Hampshire coast that borders the Atlantic Ocean, Hampton Beach is one of New Hampshire?s busiest tourist destinations. In the warm summer months, people from all over New England and beyond flock there for the crisp, clean ocean water and long stretches of white sandy beaches. And, of course, the fresh steamed clams and lobster.
The coast of New England is also renowned for its rugged, rocky beaches, and that regional landscape may be a factor in why Hampton Beach is so clean. New England?s rocky soil hasn?t lent itself to commercial agriculture in the same way that the landscape in other parts of the United States has. As a result, there?s far less contamination-causing agricultural and animal waste to flow down into the ocean following rainstorms.
Percentage of sample days where water quality exceeded national standards:
2007: 1%
2006: 0%
2005: 0%
Frequency of testing: 2/week (2006 and 2007, only once in 2005)
Huntington City Beach (Orange County, CA)
If surfing?s your thing, Huntington City Beach is the place to be. Commonly known as ?Surf City,? this pristine southern California beach offers up some gnarly waves thanks to an angled shoreline and nearby islands, factors that help create some pretty large swells. Huntington Beach is the home of the annual U.S. Open of Surfing held each July. With more than 8 million visitors each year, this is one of the country?s hottest beaches. Surf City, here we come.
Those big waves aren?t just good for the surfers. They also help keep the water clean. ?All things being equal, places with larger waves generally have cleaner water,? explains Nancy Stoner. That?s because bigger waves mean more water circulation, which can flush out contamination more quickly. Like other beaches in California, Huntington City Beach also benefits from strict water testing and public notification standards.
Percentage of sample days where water quality exceeded national standards:
At Beach Hut
2007: 2%
2006: 3%
2005: 4%
Frequency of testing: 5x/week
At Jack’s Snack Bar
2007: 4%
2006: 2%
2005: 5%
Frequency of testing: 5x/week
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