Newport Harbor's water quality met standards on Oct. 28, the Newport Harbor Foundation reported, despite days of record-breaking king tides that sent seawater surging through Balboa Peninsula streets.
The Foundation posted its water quality report Oct. 29, stating that sampling conducted by the Orange County Health Care Agency on Oct. 28 came back clear. "Despite recent floods, all remains Clear!" the Foundation wrote on its social media account.
The results arrive as Newport Beach continues to recover from a week of historic flooding. Tidal levels hit a record 8.4 feet, a height not seen since the 1920s, city spokeswoman Georgia Rios said, according to the Orange County Register. Water levels measured about 20 inches higher than forecasts predicted, pushing water over seawalls and into streets.
The OC Health Care Agency operates a Water Quality Laboratory on Shellmaker Island in Newport Beach. State-certified microbiologists there conduct recreational water testing, sampling up to 150 shoreline sites across 25 Orange County beaches each week, according to the agency's website.
The flooding hit hard. On Oct. 27, Lido Park Drive became impassable, and police had to control traffic after water overwhelmed the street, the Daily Pilot reported. About 2,000 sandbags were placed along the walkway near the Cannery restaurant and the Rhine Channel. Two fire trucks responded to flooding near the "Pirate House" on 35th Street and Marcus Avenue, where crews shut off electrical power.
Newport Beach Utilities Director Mark Vukojevic described the situation as abnormal. "That's what's causing overtopping and flooding risk. We call it the overage. It's much higher than originally predicted," Vukojevic said, according to the Register. "In years past, we've seen tides come in about a foot higher than predicted. This is very abnormal."
Residents pitched in. Spokeswoman Rios said 25,000 sandbags were picked up by locals. Balboa Peninsula resident Chad Huntley, a software engineer, built a tide simulation tool using real fluid dynamics and elevation data for Newport Harbor areas. He and his wife, Carlee, spread the word through the site nbflood.com and social media so businesses and residents could prepare, the Daily Pilot reported.
The city declared local emergencies on Oct. 9 and Oct. 19 in response to earlier flooding, Fox LA reported. Newport Beach also activated its Emergency Operations Center ahead of the late-October tides. City officials warned that additional king tide events are expected in November, December and into the new year.
Newport Beach police urged residents to keep sandbags and flood barriers in place. The city is also moving forward with a project to bring about 100,000 cubic yards of sand to eroded West Newport beaches, Fox LA reported.
The Foundation's water quality report did not include specific bacteria counts or site-by-site results. The OC Health Care Agency has not separately published a statement confirming the Oct. 28 sampling outcome.
