The beaches at Backbone and Lake Darling State Parks will have swimming advisories up again after the latest tests by the Department of Natural Resources showed elevated levels of bacteria. Beach Monitoring Coordinator, Eric O’Brien, says warm, dry temperatures are the best cure for keeping bacteria levels down in lakes and rivers.
He says the higher bacteria results are typically found after rainfalls, so if you swim after a rainfall, try to keep from swallowing a lot of water. O’Brien says you should pay special attention to keep kids from getting sick.
O’Brien says make sure the kids wash their hands after getting out of the water. And he says an overall cleanup can prevent problems. O’Brien says showering can help prevent bacteria problems, as well as swimmer’s itch. To see the latest update on beach testing, surf to IowaDNR.com .