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Beach Monitoring
Vilas County conducts beach monitoring at several locations throughout the summer swimming season. The monitoring starts Memorial Day weekend and ends over Labor Day weekend each year. The beaches are monitored for fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli (E. coli) as indicators of more hazardous bacteria.
Monitoring of coastal beaches throughout the state, as well as the nation, started with the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act (BEACH Act) of 2002. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) put this Act into motion with the intentions of preserving recreational waters and protecting public health. Initially in Wisconsin, the BEACH Act focused on beaches on the Great Lakes, but has now expanded to inland beaches as well. While the BEACH Act provides funding for coastal monitoring programs, it does not provide funding for inland beach monitoring. However, with a partnership between UW-Oshkosh and the Vilas County Public Health Department, all Vilas County beaches have been monitored since 2003 at no cost to the County.
UW-Oshkosh students monitor Vilas and Oneida County beaches once a week throughout the summer. Samples are collected at the center of the beach at a depth level of 24 inches. Once collected, the water samples are placed on ice and analyzed at Vilas County Health Department water laboratory. After the water samples are analyzed, a beach is deemed "open" for swimming, posted with an "advisory", or posted as "closed" based on the number of E. coli in the water sample. If an advisory or closure is posted, the beach is resampled that day, and sampling will continue until bacteria levels are at a safe level for swimming. E. coli contamination of the water can come from a number of sources, such as waterfowl, dirty diapers, dogs, and rain water runoff.
The week prior to Memorial Day is National Recreational Water Illness (RWI) Prevention Week. Illnesses are generally caused in young children, elderly, and those with weakened immune systems after coming in contact with polluted water. Exposure to bacteria in recreational water is often due to swallowing water or having the bacteria on your skin and then eating food or touching your mouth or eyes without washing your hands. The most common forms of illness are gastrointestinal with vomiting, fever, and headaches, or ear, eye, nose, and throat infections. Symptoms are generally short lived, and, although unpleasant, not severe. There is always a potential when in contact with extremely polluted water to be exposed to more serious illnesses.
Although beach water may contain bacteria, becoming sick after spending a day at the beach may not be due to the water. If you pack a picnic lunch and the food items are not kept at appropriate temperatures, you may acquire food poisoning. Sun poisoning or heat stroke can occur from being exposed to the sun for too long. All of which have similar symptoms.
For more information about sampling process or procedure contact Vilas County Health Department at 715-479-3656. For information concerning Great Lakes and local swimming beach status (open, advisory, or closures), visit the Wisconsin Beach Health site.
Here is a list of the beaches being monitored in each of the counties:
Vilas County
Oneida County
Crystal Lake
Big Arbor Vitae
Brandy Lake
Clear Lake
Anvil Lake
Kentuck Lake
North Twin Lake
Lac Vieux Dessert
Black Oak Lake
Hunter Lake
Torch Lake
Eagle Lake
Silver Lake
Leach Beach Crawling Stone Lake
Pokegama (Casino Beach)
Campground Beach Flambeau LakeHodag Park
Maple Lake
Torpy Park
Buck Lake