by: Amber Coakley / Fox5 San Diego / May 31, 2026
A new report released by San Diego Coastkeeper is raising concerns about ongoing water quality issues in Mission Bay, finding that pollution levels remain persistently high in several creek systems that flow into one of the region’s most popular recreational waterways.
The nonprofit environmental agency group published its 2025 Mission Bay Water Quality Monitoring Report last week, detailing two years of monthly water quality testing at 10 locations throughout Mission Bay. The findings point to both storm-related pollution and year-round contamination sources affecting the bay, particularly at Rose Creek and Tecolote Creek.
According to the report, bacteria levels surged across all monitoring sites following rainstorms. However, researchers found that both of the creeks consistently recorded elevated bacteria counts even during dry weather conditions, exceeding state recreation safety standards at least half of the time.
Environmental advocates say those findings suggest chronic pollution sources may be contributing to water quality problems.
“The findings in our report highlight the urgent need to increase funding for stormwater infrastructure, and to investigate persistent pollution that threatens the health of people recreating in Mission Bay,” said Phillip Musegaas, executive director of San Diego Coastkeeper.
The report also found phosphorus levels exceeded water quality objectives 75% of the time at creek monitoring locations, while nitrogen concentrations were highest at Rose and Tecolote creeks compared to open water areas of the bay.
Researchers identified elevated metal concentrations as another concern. Copper levels exceeded applicable standards at every monitoring site throughout the study period, while zinc exceeded standards 75% of the time at Rose Creek.
At South Shore, barium levels remained elevated during the latter half of the year, which the report suggests could be linked to large-scale [SeaWorld] fireworks displays in the area.
Coastkeeper officials say the data highlights the need for targeted investigations into pollution sources entering Mission Bay through its watershed.
The monitoring effort has expanded significantly since its launch. Coastkeeper said more than 260 trained community volunteers not participate in the Mission Bay Watershed Watch program, which is up from 180 volunteers at the end of 2024.
Over the past year, volunteers and staff completed 28 sampling events, collecting water samples that were analyzed by a certified laboratory. The data is publicly available through Coastkeeper’s online monitoring platform and is also submitted to the California Environmental Data Exchange Network, also known as CEDEN.
“Now over two years strong, this program emphasizes the importance of centering community participation in local science efforts, cultivating a more environmentally
aware and empowered society, while also collecting crucial data needed to drive and advocate for impactful policy changes in the face of a changing climate and rising sea levels,” said Lesly Gallegos, Coastkeeper’s volunteer and outreach manager.
The organization is calling on city leaders to address what it described as a roughly $5 billion stormwater infrastructure funding deficit, investigate pollution sources in the Rose and Tecolote creek watersheds, expand tidal wetland restoration efforts in Mission Bay, and consider replacing fireworks displays with drone light shows.
Coastkeeper plans to continue monitoring water quality through at least 2026 and is seeking additional funding to extend the program through 2028 as part of a long-term effort to track trends and support environmental policy initiatives.
The full 2025 Mission Bay Water Quality Monitoring Report can be found here.
