Southend beaches lose blue flag status

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Southend beaches lose blue flag status

2:10pm Thursday 23rd May 2013 in News

NONE of Southends beaches will be flying Blue Flags as a mark of water quality this summer.

Changes in the criteria by whichthe Keep BritainTidy organisation judges the nations beaches mean all seven in the borough have lost out.

Leisure bosses are blaming the news on tougher rules and heavy rain, which washed debris and waste into the estuary during the winter.

However, Derek Jarvis, Southend councillor responsible for culture and tourism, has predicted the news wont stop families flocking to the seaside this summer as usual.

He said: The benchmark has changed, so the water quality levels are higher and impurities allowed are lower.

This has been imposed by Europe.Icould get political about it, but its where were at unfortunately and there is no appeal on this.

Its disappointing, but I dont think it will stop people coming to Southend to enjoy the beach, to enjoy sunbathing, going on the pier and all the cultural things we have going on.

Southend Seafront Business Association chairman Simon Patterson agreed.

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Southend beaches lose blue flag status

Report: Most California beaches had clean water in 2012

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LOS ANGELES -- Less winter runoff has allowed visitors to enjoy mostly clean water at California beaches, according to a report released Thursday.

An estimated 93 percent of the 445 beaches along the state's coast that were tested for bacterial pollution from Memorial Day through Labor Day had good to excellent water quality.

It was the fifth consecutive year that beachgoers have seen incremental improvement in beach water quality during summer months.

The annual beach report card, issued by the Santa Monica-based environmental group Heal the Bay, studied bacteria levels found in water samples taken by local agencies.

Heal the Bay attributed the improved water quality to extremely low rainfall in Southern California and infrastructure upgrades. Lack of rainfall means less urban runoff into the ocean.

Most bacterial contamination occurs during winter, when heavy rains overload storm drains and sewage systems, washing pollutants into the sea. Swimming in polluted waters can cause ear infections and gastrointestinal problems.

The results bode well for the upcoming summer beach season after a drier-than-normal winter in Southern California.

Among the state's 10 beaches with the worst water quality, four were in Los Angeles County, the report found.

Testing showed the dirtiest beach was at the city of Avalon on Santa Catalina Island off Southern California. The environmental group said it expects water quality to improve once Avalon completes an upgrade of an aging sewer system that has been blamed for persistent high pollution levels.

The second-most polluted beach in the state was Cowell Beach in Santa Cruz County followed by Poche Beach in Orange County.

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Report: Most California beaches had clean water in 2012

SD beaches get high marks in new report

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SAN DIEGO - The beach water quality in San Diego County during the summer season was among the best in the state, although the Tijuana River mouth made the list of the state's most polluted beaches due to a sewage spill, according to Heal the Bay's 23rd annual Beach Report Card released Thursday.

The Santa Monica-based environmental group assigned letter grades based on levels bacterial pollutants in the water to 71 beaches along the county's coast, with 68 of those given an A for the period from last April to October -- up 3 percent from last year's report.

San Diego County's 96 percent A rating compares with 85 percent of the 441 beaches rated statewide that received the same high mark.

The water quality at the county's beaches during the dry winter months from November to March also showed gains, with 98 percent receiving A or B grades, according to Heal the Bay.

"Summer and winter swimming at San Diego beaches (have) probably never been better in recent history than now," Heal the Bay Urban Programs Manager James Alamillo said. "(With) the combination of low rainfall, projects implemented to control dry-weather discharges and greater public education, the county and its municipalities seemingly have runoff issues under control."

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for sewage," Alamillo said. "Once again, San Diego led all California coastal counties in the volume of sewage spilled."

No D or F grades were given to San Diego County's beaches, but the Tijuana Slough at the Tijuana River Mouth received a C grade, according to Heal the Bay.

The beach at the mouth of the Tijuana River took the 10th spot on Heal the Bay's annual "Beach Bummers List" of the 10 most polluted beaches in the state. Avalon Harbor Beach on Catalina Island topped the list, according to the report.

Flows in the Tijuana River impacted beach water quality at Border Field State Park beach, the Tijuana River Wildlife Refuge and Imperial Beach. Dry weather flow was caused by treated effluent being discharged into the river upstream by a sewage treatment plant in Tijuana, Heal the Bay reported.

Border beaches also were impacted by untreated sewage that spilled into the Tijuana River or were discharged into the ocean just south of the U.S.-Mexico border. The spill led to 10 beach closures from the Silver Strand to the border, and the four southernmost beaches were closed for 139 days during the study's reporting period, according to Heal the Bay.

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SD beaches get high marks in new report

Most Bay Area beaches clean, report says

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Bay Area beachgoers can expect a long, healthy summer at the water's edge: Water quality at most Bay Area beaches remains clean and clear, according to a report released Thursday.

Almost all Bay Area beaches had zero or very low levels of bacteria from sewage, agricultural runoff or animal waste, according to Heal the Bay, a Santa Monica nonprofit that looked at weekly water samples from more than 600 sites along the California, Oregon and Washington coasts.

"You're pretty safe at open-ocean beaches in the Bay Area in dry weather," said Amanda Griesbach, Heal the Bay's lead scientist on the report. "Wet weather can be a different story."

In the rainy season, sewage overflows and storm runoff can bring dangerous levels of bacteria to the coastline. Heal the Bay recommends that people stay out of the water for two days after a storm, no matter how effective the local water treatment system.

In San Francisco, the cleanest beaches year round include Aquatic Park near Larkin Street, the western end of Crissy Field, China Beach and Jackrabbit Beach at Candlestick Point.

San Francisco's most contaminated, by far, is Windsurfer Circle at Candlestick Point, according to the report. The beach had dangerously high levels of bacteria, including enterococcus and fecal coliform, which can cause skin rashes, ear and eye infections, and gastrointestinal problems if ingested.

The problem at Windsurfer is its proximity to Candlestick Park, said Jean Walsh, spokeswoman for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Trash, motor oil and fecal bacteria - from humans as well as birds - all contribute to the high count, she said.

Residents of the neighborhood said they weren't surprised by Windsurfer Circle's dubious honor. The area has been polluted as long as anyone can remember, said Kevin Carpenter, 40, a resident of the nearby Alice Griffith housing project who was at the park Thursday afternoon with some friends.

Fernando Santillan, 32, agreed.

"I don't swim here because the water is so dirty," said Santillan, who also lives at Alice Griffith. "I wish they'd do more to keep people from littering around here."

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Most Bay Area beaches clean, report says

Most Bay Area beaches are clean, report says

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Bay Area beachgoers can expect a long, healthy summer at the water's edge: Water quality at most Bay Area beaches remains clean and clear, according to a report released Thursday.

Almost all Bay Area beaches had zero or very low levels of bacteria from sewage, agricultural runoff or animal waste, according to Heal the Bay, a Santa Monica nonprofit that looked at weekly water samples from more than 600 sites along the California, Oregon and Washington coasts.

"You're pretty safe at open-ocean beaches in the Bay Area in dry weather," said Amanda Griesbach, Heal the Bay's lead scientist on the report. "Wet weather can be a different story."

In the rainy season, sewage overflows and storm runoff can bring dangerous levels of bacteria to the coastline. Heal the Bay recommends that people stay out of the water for two days after a storm, no matter how effective the local water treatment system.

In San Francisco, the cleanest beaches year round include Aquatic Park near Larkin Street, the western end of Crissy Field, China Beach and Jackrabbit Beach at Candlestick Point.

San Francisco's most contaminated, by far, is Windsurfer Circle at Candlestick Point, according to the report. The beach had dangerously high levels of bacteria, including enterococcus and fecal coliform, which can cause skin rashes, ear and eye infections, and gastrointestinal problems if ingested.

The problem at Windsurfer is its proximity to Candlestick Park, said Jean Walsh, spokeswoman for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Trash, motor oil and fecal bacteria - from humans as well as birds - all contribute to the high count, she said.

Residents of the neighborhood said they weren't surprised by Windsurfer Circle's dubious honor. The area has been polluted as long as anyone can remember, said Kevin Carpenter, 40, a resident of the nearby Alice Griffith housing project who was at the park Thursday afternoon with some friends.

Fernando Santillan, 32, agreed.

"I don't swim here because the water is so dirty," said Santillan, who also lives at Alice Griffith. "I wish they'd do more to keep people from littering around here."

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Most Bay Area beaches are clean, report says

Many Southern California beaches get top grades, report says

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Lance Johnson, visiting from Albuquerque, NM., swings his niece Elsa Schulte,3, of Redondo Beach, just south of the Redondo Beach Pier. The beach got an F for the winter months and a C during summer in Heal the Bay's annual report card. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times / May 23, 2013)

May 23, 2013, 8:34 p.m.

Southern California beaches had overall good water quality during the last year, and a vast majority of beaches received good to excellent ratings, according to an annual report released Thursday by Heal the Bay.

The organization's beach report card was first published in 1991 and assesses water quality at more than 600 beach monitoring locations on the West Coast.

Each location is assigned an A to F grade. The higher the grade, the lower the chance of becoming ill while swimming in the water.

Southern California beaches that received A ratings during summer and dry winter periods included Santa Monica Beach at Wilshire Boulevard and Will Rogers Beach at Temescal Canyon, the report by the Santa Monica-based environmental organization found.

Some beaches received A+ ratings. They included Hermosa Beach, Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro and the Wedge in Newport Beach.

Among the beaches receiving F grades were Doheny Beach in Dana Point, Avalon Beach in Catalina and the beaches adjacent to the Redondo Beach and Malibu piers, according to the report.

Grades are typically lower during rainy periods. The report noted that Southern California experienced rainfall totals well below average last winter, resulting in improved water quality.

"Rainstorms greatly increase the amount of urban runoff, the greatest source of bacterial pollution at local beaches," Heal the Bay officials said in a statement.

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Many Southern California beaches get top grades, report says

NY's Main Beach tops annual survey of best beaches

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EAST HAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) This may be hard to believe in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, but an annual list of the best beaches in the country has a New York beach ranked No. 1.

Less surprisingly, that beach is in East Hampton, the vacation playground for the rich and famous.

In an announcement that coincides annually with the unofficial start of summer, coastal expert Stephen P. Leatherman on Friday released the 23rd version of his Top 10 Beach List, placing Main Beach in East Hampton at the top.

"The thing about the Hamptons is that people are so proud of their beaches out there," Leatherman told The Associated Press in an interview in advance of the release of his list. "People pick up their litter there, the bathrooms are clean; they provide good services."

Leatherman, who goes by the nickname Dr. Beach, visited Main Beach earlier this month. He said that unlike many beaches farther to the west and in New Jersey, the beaches on eastern Long Island saw less erosion and flooding from the effects of Superstorm Sandy.

"Considering the magnitude of the storm, people will be very pleased to see that Main Beach is the way they remember it," he said.

Leatherman, a professor at Florida International University in Miami, has visited beaches around the world and uses criteria like water and sand quality, as well as safety and environmental management, to compile his annual list. Once a beach reaches the pinnacle of No. 1, it is retired from future consideration, he said.

Coopers Beach in nearby Southampton, N.Y., was the No. 1 pick in the 2010 survey. Sarasota, Fla.'s Siesta Beach was tops in 2011 and Coronado Beach in California earned the top spot in 2012.

The other nine on Leatherman's 2013 list after Main Beach are: Kahanamoku Beach, Waikiki, Hawaii; St. George Island State Park, Fla.; Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii; Waimanalo Bay State Park, Oahu, Hawaii; Barefoot Beach Preserve County Park, Bonita Springs, Fla.; Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Fla.; Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks, N.C.; Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Mass.; and Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, S.C.

East Hampton village residents have free access to Main Beach, although parking permits are required from May 15 to Sept. 15. Non-residents can buy parking passes at $25 per day but they are limited in number, with only 40 non-resident daily parking passes sold on weekends and holidays.

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NY's Main Beach tops annual survey of best beaches

New book "99 New Discoveries in Astronomy" researches alternative energy via the stars

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SALISBURY, U.K. (PRWEB) May 23, 2013

Money spent on research to create and harness energy from hydrogen fusion is a waste, according to astronomy researcher and author, P.J. Tomlin, who says this is an unattainable feat.

In his new book, 99 New Discoveries in Astronomy, Tomlin reveals his research findings, many of which fly in the face of popular belief. The findings challenge topics such as the role time plays in controlling the behavior of the universe, the Big Bang Theory, enigmas of the Hubble constant, dark matter and more.

The implications of Tomlins research suggest that, among other things, we may be looking for alternative energy solutions in the wrong place.

Hydrogen fusion is thought to be responsible for the suns remarkable, prolonged stability, but it is an impossible source of surplus energy, Tomlin says. Perhaps the most unexpected finding was that time has an unusual property; one that is responsible for much of the behavior of the universe.

Tomlins motivation for delving into issues related to theoretical astronomy came from his professional background.

As a researcher, critical attention was always necessary in the analysis, accuracy, reliability and interpretation of data, Tomlin says. As a result, I developed a healthy skepticism for quantitative data.

99 New Discoveries in Astronomy By P.J. Tomlin ISBN: 978-14722 3511-9 Approx.142 pages Paperback 6x9 Retail price: $ E-book price: $ Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble

About the author P.J. Tomlin is a retired medical doctor and academic who says that data, when gathered correctly, is sacrosanct. A late professor of Memorial University in Canada and a former lecturer at University of Birmingham in England, Tomlin became interested in understanding the physics that underlie the Hubble constant after retiring. Having knowledge of the expansion of the universe whetted his curiosity and unleashed 99 new astronomy discoveries, Tomlin says.

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New book "99 New Discoveries in Astronomy" researches alternative energy via the stars