Lake Sun
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The results of a new round of testing at the public beaches at Lake of the Ozarks State Park should be available for sometime in the next several days.
Until then, public beaches at the Lake of the Ozarks State Park will remain closed.
According to DNR spokeswoman Sue Holst, the samples were taken on Monday. It generally takes a couple of days to get the results. Recent water samples at Public Beach No. 1 and No. 2 at Lake of the Ozarks State Park have shown bacteria levels exceed those suggested for public swimming.
DNR has been watching the levels at the beaches since the first of the month when routine water samples came back with unacceptable results.
DNR operates two public beaches at Lake of the Ozarks State Park — Public Beach No. 1 and Grand Glaize Beach. Like all designated beaches in the state park system, water at the beaches is sampled weekly to ensure a safe public swimming area. When bacterial levels, such as the levels for E. coli, surpass a certain level, the beaches are closed and warnings are posted to alert swimmers.
High bacteria levels often occur during rainy times when runoff from the surrounding area washes into the coves. Not surprisingly, recent water samples at both beaches showed bacteria levels that exceeded those for public swimming, she said.
Holst said a possible contributing factor at the Grand Glaize Beach may be a large flock of geese.
The samples showing high bacterial levels for Grand Glaize Beach (PB#2) came back on June 12 so the beach was closed on Friday, June 12; samples taken June 15 came back June 18 and are still high so GGB will remain closed.
Public Beach #1 showed high levels on June 5 forcing DNR to close the beach. Samples on June 12 tested okay so the beach was reopened June 12. Samples taken on June 15 and returned on June 18 showed high levels shutting the beach down for a second time.
