PORTER | Two beaches closed to swimmers after Monday night's storms are again open, after testing found E.coli bacteria levels within water quality standards, according to an Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore report released Friday morning.
Officials closed Mt. Baldy and Central beaches to swimmers on Wednesday amid concerns over contamination from nearby Kintzele Ditch. Heavy rains increase the flow of water from ditches and raise the risk of high bacteria levels in Lake Michigan.
With Friday's announcement, all Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore beaches are open for the weekend, barring another major rain event, at which time additional tests may be performed to determine swimmers' safety. High levels of bacteria can indicate the presence of other pathogens that can cause illness.
The most up-to-date information will be available online at nwi.com, and also is available on the Indiana Dunes Recreation Line at (219) 926-7561. Press 2.
Friday's average lake temperature at the seven beaches was 75 degrees.
