Heal the Bays Beach Report Card is the only comprehensive analysis of coastline water quality on the West Coast. Each week, over 700 beaches are graded A to F based on bacteria analysis. The Beach Report Card is based on the routine monitoring of beaches conducted by local health agencies and dischargers. Water samples are analyzed for bacteria that indicate pollution from numerous sources, including fecal waste. The higher the grade a beach receives, the lower the risk of illness to ocean users. The report is not designed to measure the amount of trash or toxins found at monitored beaches. BeachReportCard.org 是由 Dr. Stephen Leatherman(又名“沙滩博士”)创立的网站,他是位于马里兰大学的海岸科学与政策研究所的主任。该网站提供有关全球 3,000 多个海滩的年度评估,重点关注海滩健康、侵蚀风险和污水污染。

该评估基于多种指标,包括沙滩宽度、沙丘高度、海平面上升速率以及细菌水平。这些指标根据海滩的当前状况与过去的数据进行比较,并用于生成总体的海滩报告卡等级。

该网站旨在提高人们对海滩健康状况和面对的威胁的认识。它还旨在为政策制定者提供基于科学的证据,以便他们做出明智的决定,保护海滩并减轻其面临的风险。