Cami Koons Iowa Capitol Dispatch

Labor Day weekend marked the unofficial close of lake-recreation season, and the official end of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ weekly beach monitoring program for summer 2025.

This summer, 28 state park beaches out of 41 monitored had at least one weekend where swimming was not recommended due to high levels of E. coli or microcystins, a toxin released by certain types of algae. Data shows the beach at George Wyth State Park in Waterloo had three weeks where swimming was not recommended.

For the final week of monitoring, swimming is not recommended at 15 state park beaches. The majority of these beaches have excessive levels of E. coli present, and one beach has excessive levels of algal toxins, according to DNR’s beach monitoring database

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