Water Quality Test Results

Ocean Monitoring

Humboldt County is funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Beach Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act (BEACH Act) to monitor for the presence of bacteria in ocean water areas. Water samples are taken near creek mouths that deliver storm water into the ocean.

Current Results

No beaches are currently posted.

Water quality test results by location and date.
Locations Resample Sample  Date 
Total
Coliform
 Exceeds
Limit
 E.Coli Exceeds
Limit
 Enterococcus Exceeds
Limit
North Mad River Mouth No 10/27/2025 52 No 10 No 10 No
Clam Beach/Strawberry Creek No 10/27/2025 132 No 10 No 10 No
Moonstone Beach/Little River Yes 10/29/2025 3,076 No 52 No 63 No
Luffenholtz Beach/Creek No 10/27/2025 63 No 10 No 20 No
Trinidad State Park/Mill Creek No 10/27/2025 20 No <10 No <10 No

Previous results are available for download (Excel).

Legend

All units are in are in MPN/100 ml. MPN = "most probable number".

State water quality standards for bacteria in recreational waters are not to exceed:

  • Total coliform = 10,000 MPN/100ml*
  • E. coli (a fecal coliform) = 400 MPN/100 ml
  • Enterococcus (E. faecalis) = 104 MPN/100 ml

*Fecal coliform to total coliform ratio exceeds 0.1, and the total coliform count exceeds 1,000 MPN

NOWCAST Predictions

NOWCAST Predictive Modeling now includes Luffenholtz Beach. Visit beachreportcard.org and enter "Luffenholtz" into the "search for your favorite beach" form field.

For more information, visit beachreportcard.org.

  1. When is a beach placed on warning status?
  2. When is a beach closed?
  3. What exactly are total coliform, fecal coliform, and enterococcus?
  4. How does Humboldt County monitor ocean water quality?
  5. What are indicator bacteria?
  6. Does the health risk to swimmers increase as indicator bacterial levels increase?
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