Cyanobacteria forces closures at several Burlington beaches ahead of July 4th weekend
Officials said crews must wait at least 24 hours from when concerning tests were detected around 11 Friday morning, before retesting the water
EXTRA SPECIAL AS WE CELEBRATE AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY. AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO GATHER AT WATERFRONT PARK THROUGHOUT THE EVENING. THE EVENT STARTED WITHIN THE LAST HOUR WITH SOME LIVE MUSIC AND FOOD VENDORS. THE CELEBRATION GOES UNTIL 1130 TONIGHT, WITH FIREWORKS BEGINNING AT DUSK. AND AS WE HEAD INTO THE BUSY HOLIDAY WEEKEND, SEVERAL POPULAR BURLINGTON BEACHES ARE CLOSED RIGHT NOW FOR SWIMMERS. HIGH LEVELS OF CYANOBACTERIA HAVE FORCED THE CLOSURE OF NORTH BEACH, A POPULAR SPOT ALONG WITH LEDDY BEACH AND BLODGETT BEACH. TODAY, WITH OTHER AREAS BEING CLOSELY MONITORED. NBC5’S ANNA GERBER JOINS US NOW FROM THE LAKEFRONT. WITH WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BEFORE THESE BEACHES ARE CLEARED FOR SWIMMING, ANNA. YEAH, WELL, BRIAN, EVEN HERE AT THE WATERFRONT WHERE PEOPLE AREN’T TYPICALLY SEEN SWIMMING, THERE ARE SIGNS SAYING THAT NO ONE IS ALLOWED IN THIS PART OF THE LAKE BECAUSE OF THOSE HIGH CYANOBACTERIA LEVELS, AS IS THE CASE WITH MANY LAKE AREAS AROUND BURLINGTON TODAY. AND OFFICIALS SAY THEY WILL HAVE TO RETEST TOMORROW AND GET THE ALL CLEAR BEFORE ANYONE CAN SWIM THIS 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND. PRETTY BAD BECAUSE, I MEAN, THERE’S REALLY NOWHERE ELSE TO GO NOW. WE’RE ALREADY HERE CAMPING. TERRIBLE. SAD. YEAH. HOT, HOT. THAT’S HOW MANY DESCRIBE FEELING AFTER THEIR BEACH DAY WAS CUT SHORT FRIDAY AFTER HIGH LEVELS OF CYANOBACTERIA FORCED OFFICIALS TO CLOSE THE WATER AT BURLINGTON’S NORTH BEACH ON ONE OF THE HOTTEST DAYS OF THE SUMMER AND THE START OF ONE OF THE BUSIEST HOLIDAY WEEKENDS OF THE YEAR. WE FOUND CYANOBACTERIA BLOOMING ACROSS THE WHOLE BEACH, ALONG WITH TEXACO BEACH AND BLODGETT BEACH. SO WE ARE CURRENTLY CLOSING THOSE. NORTH BEACH MANAGER ALLOCATING SAYS. CREWS HAVE BEEN MONITORING CONDITIONS CLOSELY AND MADE THE CALL TO CLOSE THE WATER JUST BEFORE 11 FRIDAY MORNING. HE SAYS THE WATER WILL REMAIN CLOSED TO SWIMMING UNTIL FUTURE TESTS COME BACK CLEAR. SO IS THERE ANY POSSIBILITY OF THE BEACH OPENING TOMORROW FOR 4TH OF JULY? NOT UNTIL AT LEAST 11 WHEN WE’RE ALLOWED TO DO CHECKS AGAIN. IF THERE’S STILL CYANOBACTERIA IN THE WATER VISIBLE, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO KEEP IT CLOSED. FOR MANY LOCALS, THE CLOSURE IS DISAPPOINTING, BUT NOT NECESSARILY UNEXPECTED. I KNOW BACTERIA LEVELS GET VERY HIGH AROUND WHEN IT’S JUST REALLY HOT, WHEN EVERYONE WANTS TO COOL OFF. I THINK ANYBODY WHO’S FROM BURLINGTON IS PROBABLY AWARE. I MEAN, I TRACK IT, I MEAN, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE TRACK IT EVEN WITH THE WATER OFF LIMITS, THE REST OF THE BEACH IS OPEN. AND MANAGER OF KONA BEACH SAYS THEY STILL EXPECT TO SEE A BIG TURNOUT FOR 4TH OF JULY. FESTIVITIES. PEOPLE ARE STILL GOING TO COME TO THE BEACH, HANG OUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE NOT GO IN THE WATER, BUT YEAH, PEOPLE ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO COME OUT. BUT FOR THOSE HOPING TO GET BACK IN THE WATER, CITY OFFICIALS ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CHECK OUT BURLINGTON’S ONLINE CYANOBACTERIA TRACKER FOR THE LATEST BEACH CONDITIONS. AS CREWS CONTINUE TESTING THROUGHOUT THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. AND I ACTUALLY HAVE THAT TRACKER UP RIGHT NOW. AS YOU CLICK ON THE INTERACTIVE MAP, YOU CAN SEE EXACTLY WHEN THE LATEST TESTS HAVE HAPPENED, SO BE SURE TO CHECK BACK IN ON THAT INTERACTIVE MAP TOMORROW TO SEE WHICH BEACH
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Cyanobacteria forces closures at several Burlington beaches ahead of July 4th weekend
Officials said crews must wait at least 24 hours from when concerning tests were detected around 11 Friday morning, before retesting the water
Burlington officials have closed several beaches throughout the city, after tests revealed high levels of cyanobacteria in certain areas of Lake Champlain. According to the city’s beach closure tracker, as of Friday afternoon, all of Leddy Beach, North Beach, Texaco Beach and Blodgett Water Access Point have been closed. The south end of Blanchard Beach is on high alert, while the north side remains open. The Oak Ledge Beach Cove is also on high alert. Swimmers at North Beach were abruptly told to exit the Lake around 10:45 Friday morning, after officials said tests confirmed blooms throughout the entire area. Alex Kaeding, manager of North Beach, said crews have been monitoring conditions closely. He added that while the beaches are open, the water will remain closed to swimming until follow-up tests come back clear. He said crews must wait at least 24 hours from when concerning tests were detected around 11 Friday morning, before retesting the water. “If there’s still cyanobacteria in the water visible, then we would have to keep it closed,” he said. While the closures were described as disappointing, many locals said it’s not unexpected. Officials encourage people to monitor the city and state’s lake closure websites for the latest conditions.
Burlington officials have closed several beaches throughout the city, after tests revealed high levels of cyanobacteria in certain areas of Lake Champlain.
According to the city’s beach closure tracker, as of Friday afternoon, all of Leddy Beach, North Beach, Texaco Beach and Blodgett Water Access Point have been closed. The south end of Blanchard Beach is on high alert, while the north side remains open. The Oak Ledge Beach Cove is also on high alert.
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Swimmers at North Beach were abruptly told to exit the Lake around 10:45 Friday morning, after officials said tests confirmed blooms throughout the entire area. Alex Kaeding, manager of North Beach, said crews have been monitoring conditions closely. He added that while the beaches are open, the water will remain closed to swimming until follow-up tests come back clear.
He said crews must wait at least 24 hours from when concerning tests were detected around 11 Friday morning, before retesting the water.
“If there’s still cyanobacteria in the water visible, then we would have to keep it closed,” he said.
While the closures were described as disappointing, many locals said it’s not unexpected. Officials encourage people to monitor the city and state’s lake closure websites for the latest conditions.
