The Oregon Beach Monitoring Program (OBMP) has finalized a list of beaches to be monitored for unsafe levels of bacteria during the 2024 and 2025 monitoring seasons.
The list was created based on established criteria, including high recreational use, nearby pollution hazards, previously measured high bacteria levels, and public input.
OBMP is a joint effort between Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to monitor the waters along Oregon’s coastline for the presence of fecal bacteria and report elevated levels to the public.
Through this program, DEQ regularly samples and tests marine water and freshwater at about 20 beaches along Oregon’s 360 miles of coastline between May and September. OHA issues advisories at beaches where bacteria levels are considered unsafe.
OHA and DEQ evaluate beaches and sampling locations every two years. The proposed list includes some of the most frequently visited beaches in Oregon; beaches where the program has previously found bacteria; and beaches for which local partners and the public have requested monitoring due to pollution concerns.
To view a video about the updated beach monitoring list for 2024/2025, click here.
Based on OBMP’s evaluation criteria, OHA and DEQ selected the following Lincoln County beaches for the 2024/2025 monitoring season:
- D RIVER SP BEACH – Lincoln City
- BEVERLY BEACH – Newport
- AGATE SP BEACH – Newport
- NYE BEACH – Newport
- SEAL ROCK SP BEACH – Seal Rock
- SILETZ BAY – Lincoln City (new for 2024/2025)
- ONA BEACH — Brian Booth – Beaver Creek State Park (new for 2024/2025)
For more information about OBMP, visit the program website at http://www.healthoregon.org/beach or call 971-673-0440. People can also call OHA’s toll-free information line, 877-290-6767.
