SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — University of California San Diego researchers develop a forecasting model to predict sewage contamination levels of South Bay Beaches.
A recently developed model shows how the Tijuana River’s flow of sewage-contaminated water flows up the California coastline using currents and predicted tides. The website breaks down an estimation of the contamination levels of certain geographic areas hour-by-hour for about four days at a time.
“The typical swimmer will have a certain risk of getting sick if the wastewater fraction is a certain amount,” Dr. Matthew Spydell, the lead researcher for the team, said. “So we can translate the wastewater fraction to an odds of getting sick.”
The forecast is meant to be just that – however, a forecast. Spydell added that the model isn’t an official recommendation of when it is safe to swim and when it isn’t at certain beaches; rather, swimmers should check and see if there are any signs posted warning swimmers of contamination levels.
Using the model, researchers are able to pinpoint with about 80% accuracy when beaches up and down the Coast could be safe to use, though the final decision is up to public health officials with San Diego County.
