Bathing Beach Inspection Program
During the summer swimming months, June-August, the Health Department conducts weekly water quality testing at 17 public bathing beaches across Gogebic, Ontonagon, Baraga, Houghton, and Keweenaw counties. The water is tested for E. Coli and potential contamination sources are investigated at each beach.
There are many human health risks associated with exposure to pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli. Monitoring the water for E. Coli protects public health, and sometimes resulting in beach closures. Any beach found to have unacceptable levels of E. coli bacteria is closed to swimming until the contamination was cleared. If a beach is closed by the health department, numerous signs will be posted to alert the public.
Below is a listing of the beaches monitored through this program. Beaches were selected for monitoring based on frequency of visitors.
- Agate Beach
- Bergland Township Park
- Chassell Beach
- Dollar Bay / Sandy Bottom Beach
- Eagle Harbor Beach
- Gogebic County Beach
- Hancock City Beach
- Houghton City Beach
- Lake Gogebic State Park
- Lake Linden Campground
- L’Anse Waterfront Park
- McLain State Park
- Ontonagon County Park
- Ontonagon Township Park
- Porcupine Mountains State Park-Union Bay
- Sunday Lake
- Twin Lakes State Park
Beach Monitoring: Stay informed and up to date!
Test results are updated daily by Health Department staff. To keep yourself informed on the current bacteria levels for your favorite beach, please visiting the Michigan DNRE Beach Guard website. After each day in the field, water samples are sent to the lab and processed, the following morning as results become available they are posted to the Beach Guard website.
Funding
The Bathing Beach Monitoring Program is funded by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). Grant funds were allocated to the DEQ by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as authorized by the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act, and by the Clean Michigan Initiative Act.
For more information about beach monitoring, please contact your local health department office or visit: