The researchers assessed the water quality in coastal areas of Jiangsu Province in 2006. They found that some water quality indicators met national standards, but others like dissolved oxygen, total phosphorus, total nitrogen, and lead exceeded the standards. The water was slightly polluted by oil, with different levels of pollution in different coastal areas. Haizhou Bay had better water quality compared to the coastal zone of radial sand ridges and the north branch of the Yangtze Estuary. Monitoring points with high pollution levels were scattered irregularly in the coastal zone of radial sand ridges.