E. coli warning for Grand Lake and other GRDA waters
GRAND LAKE – The Grand River Dam Authority issued an advisory for several areas of the waters under its control.
Water samples collected from the following lake and Illinois River areas confirmed the presence of high levels of E. coli:
Elk River, Grand Lake
Wolf Bay, Lake Hudson
Illinois River at Highway 59 Bridge, Chewey Bridge, Combs Bridge, and in Tahlequah.
Flint Creek at West Siloam Springs and the New Life Ranch area.
The public is advised that high levels of E. coli may be present in these areas over the weekend. Levels of E. coli often rise with inflows associated with the significant rainfall events that have recently occurred and are expected to continue in the area through the weekend.
GRDA encourages the public to practice common sense in the water and follow safe swimming practices, no matter which waters you plan to visit.
Those safe practices include several swimming tips from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality:
Hold nose or wear nose plugs when jumping into the water.
Wash open skin cuts and scrapes immediately after swimming with clean soap and water.
Avoid swallowing water when swimming.
Wear earplugs to prevent ear infections.
Wear swim goggles or masks to prevent eye infections.
Avoid swimming near storm drains (pipes that drain polluted water from streets).
Take children to the restroom frequently/Use swim diapers on infants.
Also, after swimming, always remember to wash hands with soap and water for a full 20 seconds before preparing or eating food.
The GRDA Ecosystem and Watershed Management Department will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates and any future advisories as needed.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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