THE BEACH AT PATOKA LAKE HAS BEEN CLOSED TO SWIMMING. OFFICIALS SAY THE BEACH WAS SHUT DOWN THURSDAY AFTER THEIR WEEKLY WATER TEST RESULTS EXCEEDED E. COLI LIMITS FOR A BEACH.
E. COLI ARE BACTERIA FOUND IN THE ENVIRONMENT, FOODS, AND INTESTINES OF PEOPLE AND ANIMALS. THEY SAY HIGHER THAN NORMAL LEVELS HAPPEN OCCASIONALLY AS THE RESULT OF SAMPLING PROCEDURE, OR AS THE RESULT OF AN INCREASE IN NUTRIENTS IN THE WATER AFTER A HEAVY RAIN.
ANOTHER SAMPLE WAS SENT TO THE LAB ON THURSDAY AND OFFICIALS SAY THEY WILL POST THE RESULTS ON THIER FACEBOOK PAGE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
THEY SAY IT IS AN UNCOMMON OCCURRENCE AT THEIR BEACHES AND THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR PATIENCE. THEY ALSO SAY THE BEACH CLOSING DOES NOT IMPACT THE THUNDER OVER PATOKA FIREWORKS SHOW SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY.
MEANWHILE LINCOLN STATE PARK OFFICIALS CLOSED THEIR BEACH BECAUSE OF HIGH E. COLI BACTERIA IN THE WATER.
OFFICIALS ARE WAITING ON THE RESULTS FROM WATER SAMPLES IN ORDER TO OPEN BACK UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
THEY SAY IT TAKES ABOUT 24 HOURS TO GET THE TEST RESULTS AND THAT HEAVY RAINFALL COULD BE THE REASON.
PARK OFFICIALS SAY THEY DO NOT HAVE TO CLOSE THE BEACH OFTEN FOR THIS REASON. OFFICIALS SAY THEY USUALLY SEE AROUND 2,000 VISITORS A WEEK DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR.
WITH THE UPCOMING FOURTH OF JULY HOLIDAY, ASSISTANT PROPERTY MANAGER JOE COMPTON SAYS ITS IMPORTANT TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE WHEN THEY ARE OUT SWIMMING AND ON THE BEACH.
COMPTON SAYS THEY WANT EVERYBODY TO HAVE A FUN, BUT SAFE EXPERIENCE WHENEVER THEY COME TO THE PARKS AND THAT SWIMMING IS A HIGH PRIORITY.
LINCOLN STATE PARK WILL BE UPDATING ITS FACEBOOK PAGE WITH THE WATER SAMPLE RESULTS.
