2024 Monitoring Season
The Oregon Beach Monitoring Program (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. To protect public health, OHA issues advisories at beaches where bacteria levels are found to be unsafe. The OBMP follows this monitoring schedule through the beach use season unless actions by state and local authorities restrict public beach access.
Monitoring Beach Water Quality
The OBMP monitors the waters along Oregon's coastline for the presence of fecal bacteria, and reports elevated levels to the public.
Marine waters are tested for enterococcus, which is an indicator of the presence of other bacteria. Enterococcus is present in human and animal waste and can enter marine waters from a variety of sources such as streams and creeks, storm water runoff, animal and seabird waste, failing septic systems, sewage treatment plant spills, or boating waste.
View Current Beach Conditions
Water Quality Data
The OBMP works with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to share and display beach water quality monitoring data.
View recent and historic sampling data on EPA's Beach Advisory and Closing Online Notification (BEACON) webpage.