Those wishing to enjoy some sun and sand over this three-day holiday weekend may be dodging raindrops with showers forecasted June 19 and storms June 21.
But before diving in, make sure to check which lakes are safe for swimming and which may not have recently been evaluated.
Ten beaches are not recommended as of Friday, June 19, up from eight last week and five the week before.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources provides weekly updates on which state beaches are experiencing high levels of E. coli or algae that can be dangerous to swimmers. You can check the latest reports on the DNR website or by calling (515) 725-3434.
The DNR collects weekly samples at 39 state-owned swimming beaches to determine the public’s risk of coming in contact with waterborne diseases. Testing starts a week before Memorial Day and runs through Labor Day.
What Iowa DNR beaches are not recommended for swimming?
Backbone Beach
Crandalls Beach
Geode Lake Beach
Lake Darling Beach
Lake of Three Fires Beach
Lake Wapello Beach
Nine Eagles Beach
Pine Lake South Beach
Pleasant Creek Beach
Union Grove Beach
Which Iowa beaches have improved special status?
Blue Lake Beach: Monitoring by DNR is currently suspended due to low lake water conditions.
Lake Keomah: Monitoring by DNR is currently suspended due to low lake water conditions. The DNR drained the lake in July 2024 for a major renovation and water quality improvement project that was set to last through spring 2026. The DNR warns people to stay out of the lake bed, which might look dry, but is soft and could quickly entrap people.
Which Iowa beaches have improved to ‘OK for swimming’?
Nearly 30 of Iowa’s beaches are rated OK for swimming, including these four, which were considered “not recommended for swimming” in Week 5 data, posted on June 19:
How does the Iowa DNR classify Iowa’s beaches based on their water quality?
DNR officials classify state park beaches into one of three categories annually based on their history of bacteria results in recent years:
Courtney Crowder is a senior reporter at the Des Moines Register.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: 10 Iowa beaches have high E. coli or algae levels this holiday weekend
Reporting by Courtney Crowder, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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By Courtney Crowder, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
