Sacramento’s lakes are sending mixed messages this week. The Central Valley Water Board released water quality testing from Tuesday that shows Lake Natoma bouncing back nicely. Three popular swimming areas—Willow Creek Day Use Area, Nimbus Flat North Beach, and Black Miners Bar Swim Area—all came back with E. coli levels below the EPA’s safe threshold of 320 MPN/100mL. The standout is Black Miners Bar, which dropped from a scary 1732.9 down to 58.1 in just one week. That’s the kind of improvement that makes people feel confident about planning a weekend swim.
The flip side: Folsom Lake’s Salmon Falls Raft Take-out area is heading in the wrong direction. Testing showed E. coli levels at 2419.6, which is more than seven times the safe limit. That’s the spot to avoid this weekend. The takeaway here is that these bacteria levels aren’t stable. They fluctuate week to week based on runoff, temperature, and other factors, which is why the Water Board tests every single week and why you should check those results before you go.
If you’re planning a lake trip, keep a few things in mind: don’t drink the water, avoid swimming if you have open wounds, and rinse off with fresh water after you’re done. These E. coli bacteria can cause stomach issues, ear infections, and skin problems. It’s not worth skipping the precautions. What’s your go-to lake spot when the weather heats up? Have you checked the water quality lately before heading out?
About the Author
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
