LA County Health Department Issues Warning for 13 Area Beaches

LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Citing high bacteria levels, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Thursday warned residents to avoid swimming, surfing and playing in ocean waters at more than a dozen area beaches.

The department's warning covers 13 beaches:

-- Las Flores Creek at Las Flores State Beach (entire swim area);

-- Walnut Creek at Paradise Cove (entire swim area);

-- Solstice Creek at Dan Blocker County Beach (entire swim area);

-- Marie Canyon Storm Drain at Puerco Beach (100 yards up and down the coast from the public access steps);

-- Sweetwater Canyon Storm Drain at Carbon Canyon Beach (entire swim area);

-- Castlerock Storm Drain at Topanga County Beach (entire swim area);

-- Ramirez Creek at Paradise Cove (100 yards up and down the coast from the Paradise Cove Pier);

-- Inner Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro (entire swim area);

-- Escondido Creek at Escondido State Beach (entire swim area);

-- Topanga Canyon Beach in Malibu (100 yards up and down the coast from the lagoon);

-- Malibu Lagoon at Surfrider Beach (100 yards up and down the coast from the public restrooms);

-- Santa Monica Pier (100 yards up and down the coast from the pier); and

-- Mothers Beach in Marina Del Rey (entire swim area).

The department said those 13 locations were found to have bacterial levels exceeding health standards when last tested.

Meanwhile, a warning was lifted for Ballona Creek at Dockweiler State Beach, near Dockweiler Tower 40.

Information on beach conditions is available 24 hours a day on the county's beach closure hotline at 1-800-525-5662. A map of impacted locations and more information is available at PublicHealth.LACounty.gov/Beach/.