Scot M:
...The "don't swim after it rains" thing was a new one to me. However, the county and Surfrider both recommend staying out of the ocean for 72 hours, especially after a first storm after a dry spell. I'm going to read further, but I'm inclined toward caution for now.
The issue is, well, have you ever looked at the stuff in a storm drain/flood control channel?
People and nature throw all kinds of things down onto the street or into the drains. Curb your dog sounds like a great idea, until it rains and that stuff has to go some place (bag your dog is now the thing to do). Add to that the oil on the streets, and cigarette butts, the contributions of the homeless, deceased animals, trash, and other items people throw on the streets or directly into the storm drain. :11: Well from that I am sure you can imagine the soup that flows into the ocean after a rain.
Close to rivers (in SoCal they are really cement lined storm drains) and storm drains/flood control channels is not the place to be for few days following a rain. The bacteria counts will be high, particularly after the first rain following a long dry spell (last rain 6 months ago). The heal the bay gives separate grades to areas based upon dry and wet conditions.
In addition, far South Laguna is closed due to a sewage spill.
http://www.ocbeachinfo.com/beach.htm
Heal the bay in about 2 weeks should have the wet grades for the area posted as an idea.
http://www.healthebay.org/brc/grademap.asp?map=5
So anyway, the recommendation is to stay away from storm drains for 72 hours. In Laguna Beach the streets along the ocean, and uphill from there drain directly into the ocean, usually onto the beach so there are lots of smaller drains. In Crescent bay, there is a drain just as you come down the ramp and I believe another over by the Stairs. On most days you can see this black water snaking its way across the beach. It usually does not make it to the ocean but dies out in the sand. These are local drains and so will not have as much as the storm drains for the region.
So the next time you see someone throw anything on the street, remember, it drains to the ocean, the very same ocean you play in.
