Reasons for high E. coli levels in Lake Erie waters near Presque Isle
Jeanette Schnars, executive director of the Regional Science Consortium, explains how high E. coli levels can occur in Presque Isle State Park.
Due to high E. coli levels, the swimming season at Beach 11 of Presque Isle State Park was again ended early.
This is the second summer in a row and the third in the past six years that park authorities have had to ban swimming at the popular beach before the traditional end of the season on Labor Day due to the concentration of bacteria.
Since August 6, swimming has been prohibited at Beach 11 after water samples taken near the beach showed 1,226.4 E. coli particles per 100 milliliters – above the limit of 999 particles.
Although follow-up tests showed fewer E. coli bacteria in the water off Beach 11, this was not enough to lift the swimming ban due to the beach’s geometric mean, a mathematical formula based on daily E. coli test results over the previous 30 days.
Swimming is not permitted at a beach if its geometric mean is more than 126 particles. There are not enough bathing days left in the season to reduce the mean below this value.
From 2023: Summer full of soot and sewage: Erie struggles with air and beach water pollution
Officials with Presque Isle State Park and the Erie County Health Department were not immediately available for comment Friday afternoon.
In 2023, swimming at Beach 11 was restricted from August 15th.
Why does Beach 11 have a problem with E. coli?
Beach 11 has its own E. coli problem. Of all the park’s patrolled beaches, the water here is the shallowest and most stagnant, making it easier for E. coli to thrive in late summer.
According to data from the Erie County Health Department, no other Presque Isle beach has had a swimming ban in place so far in 2024.
Contact David Bruce at [email protected]. Follow him on X @ETNBruce.
