{{Short description|Bay in Long Beach and Seal Beach, California}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox body of water | name = Alamitos Bay | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = Alamitos Bay photo D Ramey Logan.jpg | alt = Aerial Image of Alamitos Bay | caption = Alamitos Bay, 2015 | pushpin_map=California<!-- the name of a location map as per Template:Location map. Requires coordinates in latd= and longd= format --> | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption = | image_bathymetry = | alt_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry = | location = Long Beach, California | coords = {{coord|33|44|59|N|118|07|05|W|type:waterbody_region:US-CA|display=inline,title}} | type = | part_of = Pacific Ocean | inflow = Los Cerritos Channel | rivers = | outflow = | oceans = Pacific Ocean | catchment = | basin_countries = | agency = | designation = | length = | width = | area = | depth = | max-depth = | volume = | residence_time = | salinity = | shore = | elevation = | frozen = | islands = | sections = | trenches = | benches = | cities = | website = | reference = }} '''Alamitos Bay''' is an inlet of east San Pedro Bay<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.spl.usace.army.mil/Media/Fact-Sheets/Article/3364187/investigations-east-san-pedro-bay-ecosystem-restoration-ca/ |title=Investigations East San Pedro Bay Ecosystem Restoration |access-date=2025-03-13 |archive-date=2025-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250315082244/https://www.spl.usace.army.mil/Media/Fact-Sheets/Article/3364187/investigations-east-san-pedro-bay-ecosystem-restoration-ca/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> on the Pacific Ocean coast of southern California, United States, between the cities of Long Beach in Los Angeles County and Seal Beach in Orange County, at the outlet of the San Gabriel River. It is near Los Angeles.

The bay is named for the Spanish word for 'little poplars'.<ref>{{cite book|first=Erwin|last=Gudde|author2=William Bright |title=California Place Names|year=2004|edition=Fourth|publisher=University of California Press|pages=6|isbn=0-520-24217-3}}</ref>

==Geography== Alamitos Bay is protected by both the natural sand spit Peninsula and the Long Beach Breakwater. It is divided from the San Gabriel River and Seal Beach by a pair of jetties. The natural geography has been heavily altered by dredging and landfill subsequent to development.

The bay was severely impacted by the 1939 California tropical storm.<ref>{{cite web |title=Has a Hurricane Ever Made Landfall in California? |url=https://www.kcet.org/shows/lost-la/has-a-hurricane-ever-made-landfall-in-california |website=KCET |language=en |date=15 October 2016}}</ref>

==Venues== Alamitos Bay contains Marine Stadium, created for Olympic rowing events.

===Water quality===

After efforts to clear contaminated sediment and improve circulation, Heal the Bay has re-assessed the water's quality.<ref name="water quality" /> In a 2020 report, the "Summer Dry Grade" at the 2nd Street Bridge was "B," and at Mother's Beach "A."<ref>{{cite web |title=2019-2020 Beach Report Card |url=https://healthebay.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Report-2020_web.pdf}}</ref> "Winter Dry Grades" were "C" and "B," respectively. "Wet Weather Grades" were both "F."

The water quality of the bay could be diminished in the future if the pumps of the nearby Alamitos Energy Center are decommissioned. The city is assessing a replacement for these pumps to maintain the bay's water circulation.<ref name="water quality">{{cite news |last1=Maschke |first1=Alena |title=Alamitos Bay’s water quality at risk once again, unless the city spends millions to fix it • Long Beach Post News |url=https://lbpost.com/news/alamitos-bays-water-quality-at-risk-once-again-unless-the-city-spends-millions-to-fix-it |work=lbpost.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Alamitos Bay Water Quality Enhancement |url=https://www.longbeach.gov/pw/projects/abwqe/ |publisher=City of Long Beach}}</ref>

==Islands== Naples, a collection of three islands, is entirely within Alamitos Bay.

==Gallery==

<gallery mode="packed"> File:Seals at Alamitos Bay, near Seal Beach.jpg|Harbor seals at Alamitos Bay File:FMIB 34261 Map of Alamitos Bay Cal.jpeg|1889 map of Alamitos Bay by Charles Henry Gilbert File:Alamitos Bay, a popular residential and water sports area, near Long Beach, Signal Hill, one of... (NBY 9223).jpg|1960 postcard </gallery>

==See also== * Alamitos Bay Yacht Club * Peninsula, Long Beach, California * Anaheim Bay * Los Cerritos Wetlands * Colorado Lagoon

==References == {{reflist}}

Category:Bays of California Category:Geography of Long Beach, California Category:Bodies of water of Los Angeles County, California

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