Unsafe bacteria found at popular mountain swimming spot near Boise
Boise has been hit with summer-like weather this week, but swimmers should think twice before taking a dip at a popular beach spot where unsafe bacteria was just found.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees Lucky Peak Lake and its dam, announced in a social media post that recent testing found high levels of E. coli at all three swimming areas it manages at Robie Creek Park.
The bacteria levels exceeded Idaho safety standards, according to officials, who said test results must show no more than 235 organisms per 100 milliliters of water. The count at Robie was 690.
Robie Creek Park is located about 40 minutes northeast of Boise where Robie Creek meets an arm of Lucky Peak Lake known as Mores Creek. The park offers picnic areas, a playground and beaches.
Officials received the test results on Tuesday and quickly posted warning signs in the area.
“The sample for Robie is routinely taken from the middle of the beach area in a couple feet of water and does not reflect on water quality at any other areas of Lucky Peak Lake,” the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said in a Facebook post. “Those results are also provided here and show exceptionally clean water at Macks and Barclay.”
Officials said they would not remove the warning signs until “the average of results falls below the established standard,” meaning it will take multiple clean tests before the swimming areas are deemed safe again.
The Corps of Engineers said it plans to work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality to perform additional testing near the Robie Creek Bridge.
