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Belle Isle beach closed due to high bacteria levels in the water
A health warning from Michigan State Police and the Detroit Health Department after closing the Belle Isle beach due to E. coli bacteria.
BELLE ISLE, Mich. - Belle Isle's beach will be closed until further notice due to poor water quality.
The state park's social media page on Facebook announced the closure on Monday, adding the excess of rain that arrived last week had led to the Detroit River becoming contaminated.
It's unclear what made the water quality poor at Belle Isle, which is managed by the Department of Natural Resources. The post said that it will inform others when new test results come in that say otherwise.
Sharene Nathan had big plans Monday evening, but had to make some adjustments when she arrived at the public beach on Belle Isle.
"See these orange barrels, I'm like what this about?" said Sharene Nathan. "I didn't see any notification getting on. I didn't see any signs as to why, it just says it's closed."
The beach is roped off, a flyer indicating the water access is closed and there is $500 fine if you are caught swimming. In fine print, the reason given is elevated bacteria in the water.
Heavy rain can create flooding concerns in areas with poor drainage. It can also lead to more runoff where rain washes chemicals and fertilizer from yards into streets. From there, those substances make their way into city plumbing or rivers.
Most tributaries in Southeast Michigan drain into the Detroit River, which connects to Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie.
"We saw the orange tape and we were kind of confused what was going on, so we looked it up online and it was closed," said Megan Elkins of Allen Park.
Elkins brought her young daughter to Belle Isle hoping to cool off in the water.
"I would have been upset if we had to pay but we have the park pass," she said.
Both ladies said there appeared to be a lack of signage as they entered the island.
The Detroit Health department also put out a message to those who went swimming at Belle Isle over the weekend.
E-coli can lead to stomach illness, nausea, cramps and other issues.
They urge people to call the doctor if those symptoms last more than two days.
Sharene Nathan says she was there with her daughter and went swimming on Saturday.
"The beach was full because it was like 93 or 95," she said.
Nathan says neither she nor her 17-year-old daughter feel sick, and are hopeful they are in the clear. However, they do hope others don't unknowingly expose themselves to the bacteria.
"There is still no notification, people are still in the water," she said.
According to the Detroit Health Department. The water was tested on July 10th and will stay closed until the E. coli returns to safe levels.
Belle Isle isn't the only place in Michigan with closed beaches. There are at least 13 other closures and advisories around Michigan, including eight different sites in metro Detroit counties.