21 hours ago
Some Lake Michigan, inland beaches in Northern Illinois closed due to E. coli
It's summer in the city, backs of Chicagoans' necks are getting dirty and gritty, and what better remedy is there than a dip in Lake Michigan at a local beach?
But at some Lake Michigan beaches in Cook and Lake counties — and some beaches at inland lakes in McHenry County — nary a soul is to be found. The beaches are closed or under advisories due to high levels of E. coli bacteria.
In Chicago, three beaches in Rogers Park and one in Bronzeville were under swim advisories Monday due to high E. coli levels — Marion Mahony Griffin Beach at Jarvis Avenue, Leone Beach at Touhy Avenue, Loyola Beach at Greenleaf Avenue, at Margaret T. Boroughs at 31st Street — also known as 31st Street Beach.
All the beaches in the North Shore suburbs of Cook County — Evanston, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Winnetka, and Glencoe — were open Monday.
In Lake County, the Highland Park Marine Dog Beach was under a swimming advisory due to elevated bacteria levels Monday. North Point Marina Beach in Winthrop Harbor on the Wisconsin state line, Waukegan North Beach, and Waukegan South Beach were all under no-swimming orders due to high bacteria levels.
In McHenry County, the Main Beach at Crystal Lake was closed due to high bacteria levels, as were Dorothy Court and Veterans Park beaches in Island Lake.
The McHenry County Health Department noted that some beaches listed as closed by the Illinois Department of Public Health are not temporarily closed because of bacteria, but are rather closed indefinitely and no longer active. These include:
Crystal Lake CCAPOA (Country Club Additions Property Owners Association) Beach #3
Griswold Lake Rimas Lodge
Lily Lake Beach
McCullom Lake East Beach Park
Willoaks Lake Beach
Willow Lake Beach
Health officials said swimmers exposed to E. coli bacteria could get sick. Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, or a low-grade fever.
The Illinois Department of Public Health regularly tests the water to determine when beaches are safe to reopen.
