If you plan to take a dip in the lake or the bay this weekend to cool off, you must be mindful of where you go. Beaches at Selner Park in Kewaunee and Egg Harbor Beach are closed due to elevated bacteria counts in the water. Another beach at Robert La Salle County Park near Clay Banks also has an advisory due to elevated bacteria. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, elevated bacteria levels are reported when the E.Coli levels are higher than the recreational water quality levels. These levels can fluctuate because of delays in conventional lab analyses, which can take 18-24 hours. The United States Environmental Protection Agency recommends people don’t swim at beaches with elevated bacteria levels, especially small children, the elderly, and the immunocompromised. Symptoms of exposure to bacteria in the water include nausea, diarrhea, stomach cramps, chills, fever, and rashes.
