|
Swim bans
swamp beaches
Chicago Tribune
- 7/24
High
levels of bacteria and dangerous waves prompted officials to ban
swimming Wednesday at more than two dozen beaches along Lake Michigan
from the Wisconsin border to Chicago.
It
was the first time this summer that Lake County's shoreline beaches
were closed simultaneously, officials said.
Heavy
rains that swept across the Chicago area this week are mostly
to blame, washing bacteria-laden waste into the water, officials
said.
"We've
had pretty intense storm events, which is a big factor,"
said Mark Pfister, aquatic biologist with the Lake County Health
Department. "It's the intensity of the storms, not just the
quantity of rain, especially near Lake Michigan."
All
the public beaches in Evanston, Wilmette and Winnetka were closed
to swimming, along with seven beaches in Chicago. Though high
waves prompted a few of the swimming bans, most were the result
of bacteria.
In
Evanston, even canines were banned from frolicking in the water
at the city's dog beach because of E. coli, officials said.
Lake
County officials tested nine beaches Tuesday and imposed swimming
bans early Wednesday after results showed high levels of the bacteria,
Pfister said.
After
heavy rains early Monday, winds blowing from the south and southwest
kept bacteria close to shore, Pfister said.
Large,
white-cap waves also might have stirred up the bacteria, potentially
increasing measurable levels, he said.
The
high E. coli levels can indicate the presence of other harmful
microorganisms, Pfister said. A person who swims in waters with
high levels of bacteria or viruses can become ill with flulike
symptoms, he said.
During
all of 2002 and so far this year, however, Lake County did not
record any instances of people becoming ill from swimming in Lake
Michigan, Pfister said.
Though
swim bans are typical after heavy storms, it is unusual for every
Lake Michigan beach in the county to be affected on the same day,
said Judy Merz, program assistant for the Lake County Health Department.
"I
don't ever remember that happening," Merz said.
Swimming
in Lake County was banned Wednesday at beaches in Winthrop Harbor,
Lake Forest and Lake Bluff, and at two beaches each in Waukegan,
Highland Park and Illinois Beach State Park.
There
have been 93 beach closures in Lake County since testing began
May 22, Merz said.
At
Rosewood Beach in Highland Park Wednesday, about 30 people sunbathed
near a sign that read: "Water is closed due to poor water
quality. No swimming or wading is permitted."
"It's
too bad that they're always closed and you never know if they're
open or closed," said Beth Goodrich, 35, of Highland Park,
who was at the beach with her 2-year-old daughter. "You end
up coming here and then just sitting in the sand."
Karen
Ecanow, 35, of Highland Park said that her daughter, Natalie,
4, wanted to dip her toes in the water, but "if there are
health reasons not to, then so be it."
Officials
said they expect to know Thursday morning whether the beaches
will reopen for swimming.
Winnetka's
three beaches were closed because of high waves, officials said.
Wilmette's public beach was closed because of high bacteria levels.
In
Evanston, swimming areas were closed due to bacteria at Lee Street,
South Boulevard, Dempster/Greenwood Street, and a dog beach near
Church Street.
The
Clark Street and Lighthouse Beaches banned swimming because of
high waves, said Martha Logan, spokeswoman for the Evanston Parks/Forestry
and Recreation Department.
The
Chicago Park District banned swimming at least through Thursday
at five North Side beaches: Pratt, near the 6800 block of North
Sheridan Road; North Shore Beach, 6700 north; Thorndale Beach,
5900 north; Kathy Osterman/Hollywood Beach, 5700 north; and Montrose
Beach, 4400 north.
Swimming
also was prohibited at two beaches on the South Side: 63rd Street
Beach and South Shore Beach, at 7100 South Shore Drive.
NOTICE: In accordance with Title
17 U.S.C., section 107, some material is provided without
permission from the copyright owner, only for purposes of
criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair
use" provisions of federal copyright laws. These materials
may not be distributed further, except for "fair use,"
without permission of the copyright owner.
|