The Beach is Open!

 This is unexpected! I heard from JPA President Joe Hebert that this morning Danville Health Officer Eric Bach took down the signs closing the beach for swimming. Apparently the test came back ok. I guess it is now a matter of using your own best judgement wherever you are on the pond, whether you feel the water is safe for swimming. Be vigilant for blue-green algae blooms, and report any sightings of a suspicious nature to Nicole Begin (802-535-4916), or Dorothea Penar (802-598-9636).

After I finished this post, I found the following in my mailbox:

GREENSBORO — Caspian Lake water quality testing shows mixed results, with elevated levels of E.coli in places, some too high to recommend swimming, reported Christine Armstrong, Greensboro’s Deputy Health Officer, in a July 15 post to Front Porch Forum.

photo by Paul Fixx Thunderstorms began over Greensboro in the afternoon of July 10 and continued well into the night, bringing floodwaters from Caspian Lake’s tributaries into the lake and raising its level near the top of the dam, but not overtopping it near noon on July 11. Lake levels slowly began dropping by July 12 and continued into the following week.

She wrote, “The first round of 'After the Flood’ Caspian Lake water quality test results are in. The most recent flooding was on Wednesday, July 10. Testing was performed on Thursday, July 11 and will be repeated on Monday, July 15 with results expected on Wednesday, July 17. The turbidity is improving and the high water level is receding. “The threshold for safe swimming are E.coli levels of less than 235 E. coli per 100 ml. “Four areas of Caspian were tested: Cemetery Brook delta had a test result of 60. Highland Lodge Beach had a test result of 3. The public beach had a test result of 53. The cove south of Black's Point had a result of 980. “The public beach E.coli test results are higher than is typical and tells us to swim with caution.

We will not be closing the public beach at this time.

“It is inadvisable to swim in the cove south of Black's Point.

“It is inadvisable to drink untreated water from Caspian Lake.

“Water testing will continue throughout the summer. “