MINNEAPOLIS — Parks officials said Tuesday that several beaches along Minneapolis' chain of lakes have closed, citing water quality concerns.
According to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, at least four beaches are affected by either E. coli or blue-green algae levels that exceed state guidelines.
Bde Maka Ska's North and 32nd Street Beaches, Lake Harriet's Southeast Beach and Lake Hiawatha's Hiawatha Beach have all been closed due to E. coli, while the Main Beach at Lake Nokomis is under an advisory for the presence of blue-green algae.
Parks officials announced the advisory last week, telling prospective beach-goers to keep an eye on the city's interactive Lake Water Quality Map for changes and updates.
Beaches will open again after resampling shows a decrease in E. coli bacteria.
As far as the presence of blue-green algae blooms, the board offers these tips to keep you and your family safe during advisory periods:
- When in doubt, stay out: Do not swim when a suspected hazardous algae bloom is present.
- Don’t play in algae scum or mats in the water or on the shore.
- Before cooking any fish caught in the lake, throw away guts and clean fillet with tap or bottled water.
- If exposed to blue-green algae, shower and rinse immediately.
