Every summer, a team of environmental health specialists fans out across the Copper Country’s most popular beaches, wading into the water to collect samples that tell an important story about water safety.
For more than 20 years, the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department has monitored 21 beaches weekly throughout the summer months. The team of technicians travel to several locations across the five counties; Baraga, Houghton Keweenaw Ontonagon and Gogebic. The department tracks bacteria levels and other factors that affect water quality. On Wednesday, the team completed its latest sampling route, ending at Hancock Beach.
“A lot of people like to come up here and enjoy the beautiful resources, the outdoors that we have here,” said Shane Lewis, environmental health director for the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department. “And so this is just one thing we can do to help somebody have a great safe visit.”
The monitoring program primarily tests for E. coli, but the team documents much more. Environmental health technicians note water clarity, the presence of algae or geese, and any surface runoff that could compromise water quality.
“Mostly it’s just sampling for the E. coli, but they’ll take note of the water clarity if there’s moss or geese around, lot of birds, animals and stuff that can affect the water quality or runoff,” Lewis said.
The sampling process is precise. Environmental health technician Chloe Morley explains that the team wades to waist depth, typically where children swim most, and deliberately avoids the surface level where bacteria can concentrate.
“We go up to our waist, that’s typically where children are swimming mostly, and we’re specifically not going towards the surface level,” Morley said. “We want to get right under just so there’s no extra bacteria right at the surface. We take a sample and then all three points A, B, and C are put into a composite and sent to our lab at the health department.”
Back at the Hancock office, technicians run the composite samples through machines that deliver results within 24 hours.
“They take it over there, then they have a couple machines that they run all these samples on and give us a positive or negative result,” Lewis said. “It’s fairly fast and it’s usually we can have results turned around in 24 hours.”
The program represents a significant shift in funding. Prior to 2000, beach monitoring programs relied entirely on local funding. Since then, Michigan has provided state assistance to support monitoring programs across the state. Beach monitoring the state is supported through the Great Lakes and Inland Beaches Monitoring Program. The 10 week program each summer is funded through grant awards from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. The program ensures recreational beaches and water remain safe for residents and visitors.
Beach monitoring results are posted on the Michigan Beach Guard website, allowing residents and visitors to check water quality before heading to their favorite swimming spots. Find more information about beach health and safety here. Learn more about beaches and water recreation opportunities in the Keweenaw Peninsula here.
Beaches Monitored Weekly
- Agate Beach, Stanton Township Campground — Houghton
- Calumet Waterworks Park — Houghton
- Chassell Beach, Chassell Township — Houghton
- Park Dollar Bay Sandy Bottom Beach — Houghton
- Hancock City Beach — Houghton
- Houghton City Waterfront Beach — Houghton
- McLain State Park Campground — Houghton
- White City — Houghton
- Bete de Gris Beach — Keweenaw
- Great Sands Bay Beach — Keweenaw
- Eagle River Beach — Keweenaw
- Eagle Harbor Park Beach — Keweenaw
- L’Anse Waterfront Park — Baraga
- Second Sands Beach — Baraga
- Black River Harbor Beach — Gogebic
- Little Girls Point Park — Gogebic
- Ontonagon Township Park Campground — Ontonagon
- Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park — Ontonagon
- Green Park — Ontonagon
- Ontonagon Lakeshore Park — Ontonagon
- Misery Bay — Ontonagon
