Guide
Beach bacteria advisories
Checked September 12, 2026 against the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and its Oregon Beach Monitoring Program.
The Beach tile repeats the Oregon Beach Monitoring Program’s advisories for the beaches it samples on your stretch of coast. An advisory is about going in the water, not about going to the beach. And a beach with no advisory may be one nobody tests.
“Not monitored” does not mean clean. OHA only issues advisories for beaches it samples, and it says unsafe levels of fecal bacteria can come from both shore and inland sources. Indian Beach, Hug Point, Otter Rock, the Alsea River Bridge, Umpqua Beach, Bandon Beach, Battle Rock and Sporthaven are in OHA’s table but not monitored, so they never get an advisory, whatever the water is like.
What an advisory means
The program is run by OHA with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. It tests ocean water for enterococcus, a type of fecal bacteria. When a sample is over the limit, OHA issues an advisory for that beach and tests again within 48 hours.
- Stay out of the water. OHA says to avoid anything where you might swallow water, such as swimming, surfing, diving and kayaking, and to stay out of nearby creeks, pools of water on the beach, discolored water and runoff flowing into the ocean.
- The beach is not closed. The program does not close beaches; it only issues advisories for water contact. Walking, picnicking, flying kites and playing on the sand are fine.
- It ends when OHA says so. Once bacteria are back to a safe level, OHA announces that the advisory is lifted. The tile is dated by OHA’s most recent notice.
OHA lists diarrhea, stomach cramps, skin rashes and upper respiratory infections among the illnesses the bacteria can cause. Sources include stormwater runoff, sewage, leaking septic tanks, boat waste and animal waste.
After heavy rain, anywhere
High bacteria levels often follow rainstorms, and OHA advises staying out of the water for 48 hours after heavy rain. That holds at every beach, monitored or not, advisory or not.
The season
OHA samples from mid-May to mid-September, when the beaches are busiest, and on a rotating schedule, not every day. Outside the season nothing is sampled and no advisories are issued, so the tile says “out of season” rather than “no advisory.”
The beaches in OHA’s table
OHA groups them as its north coast (Clatsop and Tillamook), mid coast (Lincoln and Lane) and south coast (Douglas, Coos and Curry) beaches. There is no OHA beach at Astoria, Warrenton, Gearhart, Nehalem or Garibaldi, and no OHA beach at Yachats, South Beach or Toledo; the board does not invent one.
Astoria to Neskowin
| Beach | Near | Monitored? |
|---|---|---|
| Seaside Beach | Seaside | Yes |
| Indian Beach | Ecola State Park, Cannon Beach | No |
| Cannon Beach | Cannon Beach | Yes |
| Tolovana Beach | Cannon Beach | Yes |
| Hug Point | Cannon Beach | No |
| Short Sand Beach | Oswald West State Park, Arch Cape | Yes |
| Manzanita Beach | Manzanita | Yes |
| Rockaway Beach | Rockaway Beach | Yes |
| Twin Rocks | Rockaway Beach | Yes |
| Oceanside | Oceanside | Yes |
| Cape Kiwanda | Pacific City | Yes |
| Neskowin | Neskowin | Yes |
Lincoln City to Florence
| Beach | Near | Monitored? |
|---|---|---|
| Roads End | Lincoln City | Yes |
| D River | Lincoln City | Yes |
| Siletz Bay | Lincoln City | Yes |
| Otter Rock | Depoe Bay | No |
| Beverly Beach | Newport | Yes |
| Agate Beach | Newport | Yes |
| Nye Beach | Newport | Yes |
| Ona Beach | Brian Booth State Park, Seal Rock | Yes |
| Seal Rock | Seal Rock | Yes |
| Alsea River Bridge | Waldport | No |
| Heceta Beach | Florence | Yes |
Reedsport to Brookings
| Beach | Near | Monitored? |
|---|---|---|
| Umpqua Beach | Douglas County | No |
| Bastendorff Beach | Charleston | Yes |
| Sunset Bay | Charleston | Yes |
| Bandon Beach | Bandon | No |
| Battle Rock | Port Orford | No |
| Hubbard Creek Beach | Port Orford | Yes |
| Harris Beach | Brookings | Yes |
| Mill Beach | Brookings | Yes |
| Sporthaven | Brookings | No |
| Crissey Field | Brookings | Yes |
This is OHA’s list as of the date at the top of this page. OHA chooses beaches by pollution risk, past results, how much they are used and public requests, so the list can change. OHA’s status page is the current one.
How to check
- OHA’s current beach conditions page.
- Email alerts: subscribe to OHA’s advisory notices.
- The Oregon Beach Monitoring Program, toll-free: 877-290-6767, or Beach.Health@odhsoha.oregon.gov.
Sources
- OHA, current beach conditions (the advisories the board reads, and the table above)
- OHA, Oregon Beach Monitoring Program and its frequently asked questions
- OHA, 2026 beach monitoring season announcement