Fun at Lake Altoona Beach.

Summer is right around the corner, and that means so is beach-going season! Be sure you know where to find up-to-date beach closing information before the season officially kicks off. E-notifications are one of the ways you can get easy, fast, and reliable updates to keep you and your family safe throughout the summer.

In 2019, there were 11 closings totaling 53 days during which beaches were closed in Eau Claire County. Although closings may change your beach day plans, they are for the safety of all beachgoers. High levels of bacteria in the water can make you and your family sick. This is why our Environmental Health Lab begins checking the level of bacteria at area beaches the week before Memorial Day. Beaches that are monitored: Riverview Park, Big Falls, Half Moon Lake, Lake Altoona, Lake Eau Claire, and Coon Fork Beach and Campground. 

Bacteria is not the only thing that is unsafe in the water. Harmful algae blooms can happen too, which the Environmental Health Lab is also checking for this beach season. In 2019, there were seven days of water quality advisories due to algae blooms at Eau Claire County beaches. During a water quality advisory, the Health Department advises not boating, swimming, touching, or swallowing the water near the algae bloom. If the bloom has shifted or is only affecting a portion of the beach, try to find an area where the algae is not present. Otherwise, check out the Health Department website for other open beach locations.

Algae blooms can be a variety of colors, such as blue, green, white, red, or brown. They often look like thick green paint floating on the water and can give off a bad smell. Algae blooms will typically appear between July and September, and are more common when there are hot temperatures and a lot of rain. Harmful algae blooms can be toxic, especially to children and pets. Contact with algae can cause skin rash and/or ear, nose, and throat irritation. Swallowing small amounts of algae can cause headache, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.  If you see an algae bloom, stay out of the water and contact the Health Department at (715) 839-4718. Beaches will have signs displayed if water is potentially unsafe because of an algae bloom. And when you’re at the beach, also keep in mind the importance of maintaining physical distance from others to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

For the latest beach safety news and tips: Sign up for e-notifications by visiting the City of Eau Claire’s website (eauclairewi.gov), searching for “sign up for e-notifications,” and selected “beach closings.” Like the Eau Claire City-County Health Department on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @echealthdept. Check out our website at www.echealthdepartment.org. Look for our signs displayed at beaches.