Summer Beach Advisories Have Arrived

Des Moines, Iowa – Summer beach season has arrived and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) beach monitoring has begun. The DNR conducts weekly monitoring of 39 state park beaches for E. coli and microcystin.

In its first report of the season, the IDNR details there are four (4) swimming advisories due to E. coli contamination in Iowa State Park lakes.  

Here are the beach advisories as of May 24, 2019:

• # of Beach Advisories Issued for E.coli = 4
  • Beaches with an E.Coli-Related Warning/Advisory:
  • Backbone Beach  (Dundee, Delaware County, IA)
  • Beed's Lake Beach (Hampton, Franklin County, IA)
  • Lake Keomah Beach (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, IA)
  • Nine Eagles Beach (Davis City, Decatur County, IA)
     
• # of Beach Advisories Issued for Microcystin = 0

If you visit these beaches or parks this weekend, contact with the water is not advised. E. coli is can make you ill, and is also tracked as an indicator species, meaning other harmful bacteria may be present. E. coli can cause diarrhea or skin, ear, and respiratory infections. Learn more about the effects of bacteria and harmful algae blooms (HABs).

IEC will be tracking beach advisories all summer long. For updates to your inbox, sign up to review our Weekly Water Watch, an email sent each Friday with beach advisory updates and other important water news. 

1. beach advisories
2. drinking water
3. harmful algal blooms
4. microcystin
5. nitrate pollution
6. public beaches
7. public health
8. toxic algae
9. water quality