Cowell Beach ranks top “dirtiest” beach in California

Cowell Beach in Santa Cruz is facing a bit of a bummer this year. That’s because a new report card issued by “Heal the Bay” found the beach is the number one most polluted beach in California.

This isn’t the first time Cowell has made the list. It is the third year in a row that the beach has taken the top spot and for the last six years Cowell Beach has been ranked either number one or number two on the “Beach Bummer” list.

“Not a big surprise because it has been a really tough issue to tackle,” said Scott Collins with the City of Santa Cruz. “We want to make sure with get this cleaned and off that list,” added Collins.

In order to do that, the city has teamed up with a few different groups including one called “Save the Waves.” According to the group, the problem is birds and their feces.

“We are tackling one of the issues that is contributing the most bacteria which is birds roosting under the wharf,” said Nik Strong-Cvetich with Save the Waves Coalition.

To keep the birds from nesting under the wharf the city has put up steel wiring.

“The stainless steel wire excludes the birds from roosting (under the wharf),” said Cvetich “It reduces the bacteria because it reduces fecal droppings on the sand,” added Cvetich.

Those fecal droppings then make their way into the ocean, prompting the city to put out signs warning beach-goers, but many are surprised that birds are the problem.

“It’s a problem that I have never heard of,” said Airen Forrow. “As a tourist visiting, it is something that I would have never known,” added Forrow.

Others aren’t so much bothered.

“We were going to out today if there were any waves but there isn’t” said another beachgoers named Adam Hilborn.