Swimming not recommended at 12 Iowa beaches with high E. coli or algae this 4th of July

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Central Iowa Water Works gives a look inside the Saylorville Water Treatment Plant. Customers repeatedly violating the ban could face losing water service, Central Iowa Water Works said.
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By Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez, Des Moines Register

Iowa’s list of beaches not recommended for swimming has grown yet again, with 12 testing for high E. coli or Algal levels, and two with a special status on the Fourth of July weekend, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Wondering how can you check up on water monitoring, beach classifications and know what locations are open or closed? Iowa Department of Natural Resources tracks it all and updates the public weekly on its website and using a phone hotline at 515-725-3434.

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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 prior to Memorial Day and runs through Labor Day.

What Iowa DNR beaches are not recommended for swimming?

Backbone Beach

  • Beach classification: Vulnerable
  • Last test date: July 2
  • Test results: Exceeded single-sample limit for E. coli

Beeds Lake Beach

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  • Beach classification: Vulnerable
  • Last test date: July 1
  • Test results: Exceeded single-sample limit for E. coli

Blue Lake Beach

  • Beach classification: Vulnerable
  • Last test date: July 1
  • Test results: Exceeded single-sample limit for E. coli

Denison Beach

  • Beach classification: Less vulnerable
  • Last test date: July 1
  • Test results: Exceeded single-sample limit for E. coli

Green Valley Beach

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  • Beach classification: Less vulnerable
  • Last test date: July 2
  • Test results: Exceeded Algal toxin levels

Lake Darling Beach

  • Beach classification: Vulnerable
  • Last test date: July 2
  • Test results: Exceeded single-sample limit for E. coli and Algal toxin levels

Lake Manawa Beach

  • Beach classification: Vulnerable
  • Last test date: July 1
  • Test results: Exceeded single-sample limit for E. coli

McIntosh Woods Beach

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  • Beach classification: Vulnerable
  • Last test date: July 1
  • Test results: Exceeded Algal toxin levels

Nine Eagles Beach

  • Beach classification: Vulnerable
  • Last test date: July 1
  • Test results: Exceeded single-sample limit for E. coli

North Twin Lake West Beach

  • Beach classification: Vulnerable
  • Last test date: July 1
  • Test results: Exceeded single-sample limit for E. coli

Pine Lake South Beach

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  • Beach classification: Vulnerable
  • Last test date: July 1
  • Test results: Exceeded single-sample limit for E. coli

Prairie Rose Beach

  • Beach classification: Vulnerable
  • Last test date: July 1
  • Test results: Exceeded single-sample limit for E. coli

What Iowa beaches have a special status?

  • Lake Keomah Beach: Monitoring by DNR has been suspended for the 2025 season. The DNR drained the lake in July 2024 for a major renovation and water quality improvement project that will last until 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.
  • George Wyth Beach: No samples were collected at this beach due to park flooding.

What beaches have improved to ‘OK for swimming’?

Three beaches have seen improved water quality and have been removed from the not recommended for swimming list from week 6 data, posted on July 1, to week 7:

  • Black Hawk Beach
  • Bob White State Park
  • Union Grove Beach

How does the Iowa DNR classify Iowa’s beaches based on their water quality?

Jacklyn Gautsch, an environmentalist specialist senior with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, uses a YSI probe to gather data at Backbone Lake such as water temperature, Ph and other measurements Wednesday, July 17, 2024 near Dundee, Iowa. Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen.

DNR officials classify state park beaches into one of three categories annually based on their history of bacteria results in recent years:

Vulnerable: Beaches are considered vulnerable when the geometric mean standard is exceeded in three or more of the five most recent sampling seasons.

Transitional: The beach’s geometric mean standard is exceeded in two or fewer sampling seasons of the five most recent years of monitoring and was listed as “vulnerable” in the past monitoring seasons.

Less vulnerable: The beach’s geometric mean standard is exceeded in two or fewer sampling seasons of the five most recent years of monitoring and was listed as “transitional” or “less vulnerable” in past monitoring seasons.

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