Burlington Swim Water Status

 

Find live-updates to beach swim-water status at this link → Swim Water Updates Page

 

• The page linked above is a live PDF to be viewed on the web — refresh for the latest results, do not download — and covers all public-health related beach closures from Cyanobacteria blooms and elevated E. Coli levels.
• Beaches are inspected daily for Cyanobacteria blooms from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Cyanobacteria and Cyanotoxin exposure can make people and animals sick, learn more here and here.
  • We make visual observations of the lake for the presence of Cyanobacteria daily, starting at 11am, and update the conditions as necessary. The dedicated staff for water quality checks the sites 3-4 times a day.
  • Cyanobacteria conditions resulting in a status change will be reported by noon daily, and throughout the day as conditions improve or deteriorate.
  • Please check back frequently as the page will be updated as soon as a change to swim water conditions are identified.
• E. Coli testing is conducted bi-weekly during beach season (Memorial Day through Labor Day).
  • We test for bacteria (E. Coli as an indicator of elevated bacteria levels) on Monday and Thursday with results that come in Tuesday and Friday.
  • Elevated Ecoli bacteria levels resulting in a beach closure will be reported by 11 am on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Read our Beach Closures FAQ (see language translations in the section below)

Closure Categories

BPRW is implementing a 3-tier closure system that aligns with State of Vermont swim water management protocols:
Category 1 = OPEN⁠
Category 2 = WARNING (Cyanobacteria is present in low levels, vulnerable groups — children and pets — are advised to avoid the water due to possible ingestion)⁠
Category 3: CLOSED (Cyanobacteria blooms are present in levels potentially dangerous for health — swimming area is closed)⁠

What is Cyanobacteria?

Cyanobacteria, or “blue-green algae”, is naturally found in fresh water in the U.S. and in Lake Champlain and other Vermont waters. Cyanobacteria “blooms” can form when water conditions are right for growth (factors include warm water temps, stillness, high phosphate levels). As they break down, cyanobacteria can release toxins or poisons (cyanotoxins) into the water posing a hazard to human and animal health. These toxins can be particularly harmful to pets, children and those with compromised immunity.

Language Access

Map of beaches and water access sites

• Blodgett Access is not formally designated as a swimming area and does not get tested for E.Coli, but gets monitored for Cyanobacteria blooms.
• North Shore Natural Area is not formally designated as a swimming area and does not get tested for E.Coli or monitored for Cyanobacteria blooms.

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How we determine beach closures

 

Summer Season Swim-Water Monitoring

• The summer season runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day. We post the updated status of our beaches on the Swim Water Updates Page
• During the summer season, beaches on Lake Champlain are monitored daily for cyanobacteria (“blue-green algae”) blooms and tested twice a week for safe e-coli levels.
• In the off season, our beaches are monitored on an as-needed basis. Swim at your own risk at other locations along the lake.
• After Labor Day, visit the Vermont Department of Health website for lake conditions across the state, including Lake Champlain. https://www.healthvermont.gov/health-environment/recreational-water/lake-conditions

Bi-weekly Water Tests for E. Coli

The City of Burlington samples all official swimming areas at Burlington parks for the presence of E. coli during the summer season.

• We test the water at all official beaches for E. coli twice per week.
• Beaches close when levels go above EPA VT’s standard of 235 per / 100 mL
• Samples are sent to certified labs and results come back in 24 hours, on Tuesday & Friday.
• Results are a calculated count , or “most probable number” of e-coli bacteria per 100 milliliter sample.
• If a sample at a beach area is higher than the EPA standard of 235 e-coli per 100 milliliter sample, that area will be closed to swimming, but can remain open to other activities.
• Affected sites then are tested daily and reopen to swimming once results return to acceptable levels.

For more info about recreational water go to: healthvermont.gov/enviro/water/recwater.aspx

Cyanobacteria monitoring and testing procedures:

• City beach staff are trained annually by the Lake Champlain Committee to monitor the water for signs of Cyanobacteria blooms.
• During the summer months, public swimming areas on Lake Champlain are monitored by City beach staff daily for cyanobacteria (“blue-green algae”) blooms.
• If a potential bloom is sited, the beach staff will notify the Beach Manager.
• The Beach Manager or one of the Assistant Managers will verify that it is Cyanobacteria by performing a visual inspection
• A sample of the water will be take in a clear vessel to perform a water column test.
• If the water in the clear vessel appears to have algae remaining only on the surface, cyanobacteria are assumed to be present.
• If cyanobacteria are verified as a Category 3 by the two tests, beach staff will immediately start to clear people from the water at the affected beach. “Closed Due to Cyanobacteria” signs are posted.
• City and State Health Department staff are notified of the closure immediately via email.
• Staff will continue to monitor the progression, or regression, of the bloom throughout the day.
• The following day, staff will perform tests to confirm that the water is clear.
• The State of Vermont requires that the City wait to test until after 10:30am, the morning following a beach closure.
• The first test for re-opening the beach is visual: can the slime or scum like substance be seen on the water surface?
• If visual test is negative, staff will use Abraxis Microcystins test strips to test the water for toxins produced by Cyanobacteria (this test takes approximately 40 minutes).
• Test results at 5 ppb or lower allow for the beach to be reopened.
• Past closures from previous years are archived here.

 

Learn more about water quality in Lake Champlain

Learn how to spot Cyanobacteria in this video:

Causes and solutions for Cyanobacteria blooms in Lake Champlain

• Blooms are the result of long-term, wide scale nutrient inputs from all land use sectors in the Lake Champlain basin. Wastewater sources account for approximately 3% of this load.
• Warm lake temperatures and still water can be primary triggers for cyanobacteria blooms.
• Find the current Lake temperatures on the USGS website
• The science is clear that CSOs do not significantly increase the nutrient load that can lead to Cyanobacteria blooms.
• The City’s ongoing Integrated Planning efforts include several strategies to reduce nutrient inputs to Lake Champlain from urban stormwater runoff.  Some of these strategies are already under implementation, including the construction of retrofit projects to treat stormwater from City roads before it reaches the lake, and the enforcement of stormwater management requirements under the City’s Chapter 26 Ordinance for anyone looking to expand impermeable surfaces in Burlington.

Resources

• Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) has developed an award-winning program to provide critical data on where and when blooms are happening. The organization works with citizens, businesses, farmers, communities, and governments to protect and restore lake health. Lake Champlain Committee focuses on three strategic areas: clean water, a healthy lake and access to the lake. They also help monitor pollution, invasive species, bacteria, toxics, global warming and water conservation. Learn more on their website:  http://www.lakechamplaincommittee.org
• CyanoTracker site for Lake Champlain and Vermont inland lakes – http://www.healthvermont.gov/tracking/cyanobacteria-tracker
• Learn more about the health of Lake Champlain through The Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) which works in partnership with government agencies from New York, Vermont, and Québec, private organizations, local communities, and individuals to coordinate and fund efforts that benefit the Lake Champlain Basin’s water quality, fisheries, wetlands, wildlife, recreation, and cultural resources. Read the Lake Champlain Basin Program’s State of the Lake report at http://sol.lcbp.org.