(C) Iowa Capital Dispatch
This story was originally published by Iowa Capital Dispatch and is unaltered.
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Swimming not recommended at 13 state beaches for holiday weekend [1]
['Jared Strong', 'More From Author', '- September']
Date: 2023-09
State officials are cautioning against swimming at 13 state beaches leading into the Labor Day weekend.
In the summer, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources monitors the water near its beaches with weekly samples that seek to identify elevated levels of bacteria and their toxins. They have the potential to irritate skin and cause infections.
In lakes that are prone to unhealthy concentrations of bacteria, a single test that detects 235 viable bacteria per 100 milliliters of water can prompt the DNR’s “swimming not recommended” warning. The department also monitors beach water for consistent, week-to-week concentrations of about half that amount.
The beaches where swimming is not advised include:
— Backbone State Park in Delaware County, for elevated weekly averages of bacteria.
— Brushy Creek State Recreation Area in Webster County, for elevated weekly averages of bacteria and a single sample of elevated toxins.
— Crandall’s Beach on Big Spirit Lake in Dickinson County, for elevated weekly averages of bacteria.
— Emerson Bay Beach on West Okoboji Lake in Dickinson County, for elevated weekly averages of bacteria and a single elevated test.
— Green Valley State Park in Union County, for elevated toxins.
— Gull Point State Park near West Okoboji Lake in Dickinson County, for elevated weekly averages of bacteria.
— Lake Darling State Park in Washington County, for elevated weekly averages of bacteria and elevated toxins.
— Lake Keomah State Park in Mahaska County, for elevated weekly averages of bacteria.
— Lake MacBride State Park in Johnson County, for elevated weekly averages of bacteria.
— Nine Eagles State Park in Decatur County, for elevated weekly averages of bacteria and a single elevated test.
— Twin Lakes State Park in Calhoun County, for elevated weekly averages of bacteria.
— Pine Lake State Park in Hardin County, for elevated weekly averages of bacteria.
— Union Grove State Park in Tama County, for elevated weekly averages of bacteria and a single elevated test.
Brushy Creek has had an unhealthy amount of toxins for weeks, said Dan Kendall, the DNR’s lake and beach monitoring coordinator. An algae bloom has been persisting there thanks to a lack of rainfall, which can break up a bloom and wash it downstream.
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