IEC summarizes the E. coli and Microcystin advisory statistics for the 2023 beach season

The 2023 beach season has come to an end. The DNR (Department of Natural Resources) monitors the state lakes and beaches from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The Iowa Environmental Council says, “That’s a wrap!!” as they cease their weekly water watch reports. Visitors who use state park lakes and beaches will now have to judge the safety of the waters based on the past summer records and the appearance of the beach.

Water and Land News (https://www.iaenvironment.org/newsroom/water-and-land-news/) carried an article looking back at the record-breaking year of Iowa beach advisories. The Iowa DNR issued 21 beach advisories for microcystin. It is believed that the extended drought across the state has contributed to more microcystin advisories. Algae bloom is also related to the nutrient run off from the surrounding watershed. Brushy Creek had the worst harmful algae bloom since 2006. Brushy Creek was under advisory for 10 weeks. Lake Darling (Washington County) was not far behind with eight advisories.

E. coli advisories numbered 111. The Army Corps of Engineers Rock Island district issued 19 E. coli advisories on the six beaches it monitors. Saylorville, Red Rock and Coralville had the greatest number — one for every week during the 15-week tracking period. The date for state public beaches shows Lower Pine Lake beach had an advisory for every week of the summer. . E. coli tracking began in 2014. This is the first summer that a beach advisory was issued every week for an entire season

The Summer of 2023 has yielded some interesting statistics:

•Prior to this year, Brushy Creek only had two microcystin advisories in the last 17 years — one in 2013 and one in 2016.

•North Twin Lake East Beach experienced its first E. coli advisory since IEC began tracking advisories in 2014.

•Green Valley Lake, Honey Creek Resort Beach, and Lake Anita are now the only state public beaches monitored by the Iowa DNR that have never had an E. coli advisory.

•With 16 advisories, Lake Darling and Lower Pine Lake had the most combined advisories in 2023. Lake Darling had 8 E. coli advisories and eight microcystin advisories. Lower Pine Lake had 15 E. coli advisories and one microcystin advisory.

•The state spent $12 million to restore Lake Darling from 2010-2014. Since it reopened in 2014, the lake has had 61 advisories for E. coli and 26 advisories for microcystin.

•Of the lakes monitored by Army Corps of Engineers, Lake Red Rock had the most beach advisories. Whitebreast and North Overlook Beaches had eight and 6 E. coli advisories, respectively.

•Since 2014, Backbone has experienced the most E. coli advisories of all monitored beaches at 127.

•22 state park beaches recorded swim advisories this summer. Fifteen state park beaches did not record an advisory.

IEC encourages you to share your stories and pictures with its organization. Submit action alerts or contact your legislator or local officials. IEC officials have offered to help you get your articles or letters published. Check out LTE and Op-Ed tool kit (https://www.iaenvironment.org/webres/File/_Advocacy%20Toolkit%20-%20LTEs%20and%20Op-Eds.pdf) or contact IEC Communications Director Angelisa Belden (belden@iaenvironment.org).

Iowa’s recreational season lasts all year. As Fall approaches, IEC will issue their monthly Iowa Water Watch newsletter. Plan to use this resource to plan your Fall-Winter-Spring adventures in our State Parks and Lakes.