The Seattle Times: Local news: Beach Rankings

For current information about City of Bellingham beach closures or advisories, visit www.cob.org and www.whatcomcounty.us/parks/ Historical water quality/condition Good. Moderate pollution levels. Not enough to trigger a closure, but higher than average. Repeated pollution at levels that would trigger beach closures or advisories.
Name	Rating
Birch Bay State Park
Bloedel Donovan Park
Lake Padden
Lake Whatcom
Maple Beach
Samish Lake
Silver Beach
Silver Lake

Freshwater

Exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's guidelines for a seasonal limit for e. coli (a geometric mean of 126 colony-forming-units/100 ml.) two of the last four years.
Exceeded EPA limit for a single sample (235 cfu/ 100 ml.) at least 20 percent of the time three of the last four years (or 75 percent of total number of years).
Closed due to high bacterial levels, sewage spills or potentially toxic algae three of the last four years (or 75 percent of total number of years).

Annual geometric mean exceeded 60 cfu/100 ml. at least twice in the last four years for e. coli
Exceeded single-sample limit at least 20 percent of the time at least twice in last four years (or 50 percent of the time).
Closed due to high bacterial levels, sewage spills or potentially toxic algae two of the last four years.

Annual geometric mean has exceeded 60 for e-coli no more than one of the last four years.
Single-sample limits were not exceeded by more than 20 percent in any given year.
Closures posted no more than one in the last four years.

Saltwater

Exceeded EPA annual limit for enterococci (a geometric mean of 35 colony-forming-units/100 ml.) two of the last four years.
Exceeded EPA single-sample limit of 104 cfu/100ml. at least 20 percent of the time three of the last four years (or 75 percent of total number of years).
Closed due to high bacterial levels, sewage spills or potentially toxic algae three of the last four years (or 75 percent of total number of years).

Annual geometric mean exceeded 25 cfu/100 ml. at least twice in the last four years for enterococci.
Exceeded single-sample limit at least 20 percent of the time at least twice in last four years (or 50 percent of the time).
Closed due to high bacterial levels, sewage spills or potentially toxic algae two of the last four years.

Annual geometric mean has exceeded 25 for enterococci no more than one of the last four years.
Single-sample limits were not exceeded by more than 20 percent in any given year.
Closures posted no more than one in the last four years.

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