Beach in Huntington to Close for Tests

A stretch of Huntington State Beach will be closed Monday to allow researchers to seek sources of the urban runoff suspected of causing last summer’s devastating shoreline closure.

The state Department of Parks and Recreation will close the waterfront and parking lots from the Santa Ana River to Newland Street so USC researchers can conduct a dye test. Parking will be available at the Beach Boulevard entrance.

The nontoxic dye will be released into the ocean at the mouths of Talbert Marsh and the Santa Ana River to determine the pathway it takes as it flows to the ocean. The dye is expected to dissipate by the time it reaches Newland Street. However, if swimmers see traces, authorities said, they should leave the water.

The study is funded by Huntington Beach, Orange County and the Orange County Sanitation District. Officials hope it will help them determine if urban runoff from the marsh or the river caused the two-month beach closure last summer.

Runoff--the brew of microorganisms, chemicals and pollutants washed off lawns and streets into storm drains and eventually waterways--is the suspected cause of the contamination that forced the closure. Despite the millions of dollars spent over the past 10 months searching for the cause, the source of high bacteria levels remains unknown.