The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is urging beachgoers to check water quality reports before heading to the beach this weekend, as many beaches in the state are not recommended for swimming due to high levels of E. coli and algal toxins. The DNR tracks water monitoring, beach classifications, and closures on its website and through a phone hotline, updating the public weekly.
Weekly samples are collected at 39 state-owned swimming beaches in Iowa to determine the risk of waterborne diseases for the public, starting a week before Memorial Day and running through Labor Day. Beaches like Backbone Beach, George Wyth Beach, and Union Grove Beach are classified as vulnerable and not recommended for swimming. Meanwhile, Lake Keomah’s monitoring has been suspended for the 2024 season due to a renovation project.
Four beaches that were previously not recommended for swimming have improved to ‘OK for swimming,’ including Bobwhite State Park and Pine Lake South Beach. Iowa beaches are classified by the DNR as vulnerable, transitional, or less vulnerable based on their historical water quality results.
For more information on Iowa’s beach water quality, visitors can contact Paris Barraza at the Des Moines Register. Being informed about water quality at beaches is essential for ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for beachgoers in Iowa.
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Photo credit www.desmoinesregister.com
