The latest heat wave has broken in Iowa, but Iowans looking to spend time outdoors will find a season-high number of beaches with advisories posted due to water quality issues.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources beach monitoring report shows 16 beaches that are not recommended for swimming for the week of July 31. That’s an increase of three beaches from the prior week and the highest number since the 2026 season started on Memorial Day weekend.
The Iowa DNR 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.
Staff collect weekly samples at 41 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
Beeds Lake Beach
Big Creek Beach
Black Hawk Beach
Bobwhite State Park
Clear Lake State Park Beach
Crandalls Beach
Denison Beach
Emerson Bay Beach
George Wyth Beach
Lake Darling Beach
Lake Manawa Beach
McIntosh Woods Beach
Nine Eagles Beach
Prairie Rose Beach
Union Grove Beach
What other beaches are not recommended for swimming?
The Iowa DNR also tracks reports for 39 city or county beaches across the state. This week, 10 of the beaches reported E.coli levels above the single-sample limit.
In the Des Moines metro, that includes Blue Heron Lake at Raccoon River Park in West Des Moines and Hickory Grove Park Beach in Story County.
Which Iowa beaches have improved to ‘OK for swimming’?
All 13 beaches listed as swimming not recommended in the Week 10 report on July 24 maintained that rating this week.
Which Iowa beaches have special statuses?
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:
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Season-high 16 beaches not recommended for swimming by Iowa DNR
Reporting by Brian Smith, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brian Smith, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
