San Diego (CNS)-The San Diego County Department of Environmental Health closed the San Diego Tijuana Marsh coastline in southern San Diego County on Thursday to warn people not to touch the sea.

The Tijuana River enters San Diego County from Mexico, flows through the southernmost point of the county, and then flows into the Pacific Ocean.

According to a statement from the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health and Quality on Thursday, polluted runoff of sewage into Mexican rivers may be moving north along the San Diego County coastline.

The “Water Contact Shutdown” released on Thursday covers the ocean coastline of the Tijuanaslau National Wildlife Refuge and Border Wilderness State Park, as well as the results of bacterial counts in samples collected by the county exceeding California health standards.

It includes all beaches from the international border to the southern end of Seacoast Drive in Imperial Beach. County officials said the closure sign will remain in place until the daily seawater sampling results meet the state’s health standards for recreational use.

Due to non-river-related impacts, including Nanchong, officials also issued “preventive recommendations” for other shorelines of Imperial Beach on Thursday. Since the number of bacteria may exceed health standards, they also issued recommendations for Moonlight Beach in Cottonwood Creek in Encinitas.

This means that county officials advise beach visitors to “avoid contact with water in the consultation area.”

The beaches in southern San Diego County are closed all year round.

For more information about the Tijuana River, please contact the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission at 619-662-7600.

San Diego County updates on beach closure information are available at sdbeachinfo.com. Residents can also call the 24-hour hotline 619-338-2073.

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