Is Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf-West at Cowell Beach safe to swim today?
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Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf-West at Cowell Beach is currently inconclusive for swimming. Last sample is over 30 days old — too stale to be a reliable swim-safety indicator.
When was Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf-West at Cowell Beach last tested?
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The most recent water-quality sample at Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf-West at Cowell Beach was collected on Mar 23, 2026 (137 days ago). California monitoring agencies test Bay Area beaches weekly during swim season (roughly May through October).
What is the bacteria level at Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf-West at Cowell Beach?
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The latest reading at Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf-West at Cowell Beach shows 30-day enterococcus geomean at 12 MPN/100mL (EPA geomean limit: 35); and enterococcus at 5 MPN/100mL (EPA single-sample limit: 104).
Does rain affect water quality at Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf-West at Cowell Beach?
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Yes. Heavy rainfall washes bacteria and pollutants from land into the water, raising contamination risk for 24–72 hours. The past 48 hours recorded 0.00 in of rain; the past 72 hours recorded 0.00 in. Our advisory threshold is ≥1.00 in over 48h (or ≥0.50 in over 72h) for enclosed or storm-drain beaches.
Where is Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf-West at Cowell Beach located?
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Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf-West at Cowell Beach is located in the Bay Area area of the San Francisco Bay region (coordinates: 36.9620°N, 122.0229°W). You can get turn-by-turn directions via Google Maps or Apple Maps directly from this page.
How is the water quality data for Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf-West at Cowell Beach collected?
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Bacteria samples are collected by California state and county health agencies under the AB 411 Safe-to-Swim program and reported to the state's Safe-to-Swim database (data.ca.gov). Rainfall figures come from Open-Meteo forecast and archive data. Bay Area Swim aggregates both sources and updates every morning.