Eagle Creek closes swim area after E. coli test results, other Indiana beaches closed for algae leve

INDIANAPOLIS - Despite being in the middle of a heat wave, a popular Indy swimming destination will be closed until further notice after it was found to have high levels of E. coli.

Eagle Creek Beach shutdown

Eagle Creek Park announced on social media Friday that their beach has been closed down after a routine water test found elevated levels of E. coli. The swim area on Indy's northwest side is now off limits for visitors as the park awaits additional testing.




"It is common for E. coli and other bacteria to occur naturally at certain levels in lakes, streams, and reservoirs," the post read. "Elevated bacteria levels are often associated with heavy rains, high temperatures, and runoff from sources such as waterfowl, pets, farm animals, and wildlife."




The park said that the swim area will now be closed until further notice. For the latest updates, officials said to follow the Eagle Creek Park page on Facebook or call the swim area at (317) 327-7110.




This is not the first central Indiana "beach" to shut down this week.

Other beach shutdowns

The City of Muncie announced on Friday morning that Prairie Creek Reservoir Beach has been temporarily closed down "out of an abundance of caution" due to elevated algae levels. A test recently found high levels of microcystins, a toxin produced by blue-green algae. Results showed a level of 9.9, which is above the EPA's safe threshold of 8.




"Microcystins can pose significant health risks to humans and animals, including skin rashes, liver damage, and more severe illnesses if ingested or inhaled in high concentrations," the post read. "Algal blooms, often fueled by farm field runoff and high temperatures, are a natural occurrence that can escalate under certain conditions."




Signs have reportedly been posted at the reservoir with warnings being issued to visitors. City officials said the closure will remain in effect until after treatment and when testing levels have returned to normal. For more information, click here.




According to Muncie's post, other Indiana beaches are also under alert or advisory status for blue-green algae in 2025. These beaches reportedly include Brookville Lake in Franklin County and Mill Lake in Owen County.





via: https://fox59.com/news/indynews/eagle-creek-closes-swim-area-after-e-coli-test-results-other-indiana-beaches-closed-for-algae-levels/