Swimming advised against at 9 Iowa beaches

DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has worked with various public health and management agencies in the state to inform and protect the public about the current water quality conditions at its beaches.

Samples are collected weekly at 39 state-owned beaches from the week prior to Memorial Day through Labor Day. Water at Iowa’s state-owned swimming beaches is monitored to assess the public health risk from waterborne diseases that may result from immersion in the water.

High bacteria levels have been tested at the following beaches:

• Backbone Beach at Backbone State Park
• Big Creek Beach at Big Creek State Park
• Brushy Creek Beach at Brushy Creek State Recreation Area
• Emerson Bay Beach at Emerson Bay State Recreation Area
• Green Valley Beach at Green Valley State Park
• Lake Darling Beach at Lake Darling State Park
• Nine Eagles Beach at Nine Eagles State Park
• Pine Lake South Beach at Pine Lake State Park
• Union Grove Beach at Union Grove State Park

DNR officials do say that eating fish from these waters with high bacteria levels is okay as long as proper fish cleaning, rinsing, refrigeration, and cooking is used. While they are alive the fish are protected from water-borne contaminants by the skin, scales, and mucus covering their bodies.

For more information from the Iowa DNR click the link here.

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