Weekly Water Watch
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During the summer recreation season, our Weekly Water Watch e-newsletter provides important water quality news and water-related events across the state.
For swimming and beach safety information, visit the Iowa Department of Natural Resources' Beach Monitoring website. This website has different tabs for State Beaches, City and County Beaches, and beaches monitored by the US Army Corps of Engineers, so be sure check each tab to find the site you are interested in.
Please note: Some local, city, and county swimming areas and beaches may not be reflected in the DNR data. For information about specific beaches, contact the entity that oversees that waterway. Always pay attention to water quality or swimming notices posted at beaches, and report water that looks or smells unhealthy to your city, county, or the Iowa DNR. Pollutant levels in waterways, including E. coli and microcystin, can change quickly, even within one day.
Learn more about beach monitoring.
Notable Statistics from Summer 2024
- Prior to this year, Lake Anita only had two microcystin advisories in the last 10 years – two in 2016 and one in 2014.
- Green Valley Lake, Honey Creek Resort Beach, and Lake Anita are the only state public beaches monitored by the Iowa DNR that have never had an E. coli advisory.
- Of the lakes monitored by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sugar Bottom Campground and West Overlook Beaches had 7 E. coli advisories.
- Since 2014, Backbone has experienced the most E. coli advisories of all monitored beaches at 138.
- Since 2014, Green Valley Lake Beach has experienced the most microcystin advisories of all monitored beaches at 55.
- 23 state park beaches recorded swim advisories this summer. 16 state park beaches did not record an advisory.