11 Los Angeles County beaches have unsafe bacterial levels

As Southland residents and visitors flock to the beaches seeking relief from an extreme heat wave, health officials cautioned residents Friday to contact with ocean water at nearly a dozen Los Angeles County beaches.

Levels of bacteria exceeding health standards prompted the LA County Department of Public Health to issue warnings to avoid swimming, surfing and playing in ocean waters for these beach areas:

• Mothers Beach in Marina Del Rey: entire swim area;

• Las Flores Creek at Las Flores State Beach: entire swim area;

• Walnut Creek at Paradise Cove: entire swim area;

• Marie Canyon Storm Drain at Puerco Beach: 100 yards up and down the coast from the public access steps;

• Inner Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro: entire swim area;

• Topanga Canyon Beach in Malibu: 100 yards up and down the coast from the lagoon;

• Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica: 100 yards up and down the coast from the pier;

• Solstice Creek at Dan Blocker County Beach: entire swim area;

• Pena Creek at Las Tunas County Beach: 100 yards in each direction of the outfall;

• Windward storm drain at Venice Beach: 100 yards up and down the coast from the storm drain; and

• Santa Monica Canyon Creek at Will Rogers State Beach near Will Rogers Tower 18: 100 yards up and down the coast of the creek.

Bacteria warnings were lifted for these beach areas where recent sampling showed water quality was within state standards:

• Avalon Beach at Catalina Island: 100 feet west of the pier;

• Outer Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro; and

• Ramirez Creek at Paradise Cove.

Information on beach conditions is available 24 hours a day on the county’s beach closure hotline, 800-525-5662. A map of impacted locations and additional beach information is at PublicHealth.LACounty.gov/Beach/.