Source of Gun Lake E. coli unknown

GUN LAKE, Mich. (WOOD) - A beach at Gun Lake is shut down due to higher-than-acceptable levels of E. coli in the water.

The main beach at Gun lake is shut down and there is a contamination advisory at the Gun Lake Yankee Springs Recreation Area Campground Beach.

The main beach was shut down on July 11 for high bacteria levels. The Yankee Springs beach has been under a contamination advisory since July 10.

The Barry County Health Department was on the beach on Wednesday, looking for the source of the contamination.

Eric Pessel, environmental health director of the Barry-Eaton District Health Department, told 24 Hour News 8 that authorities take action if they find more than 300 E. coli bacteria in 100 milliliters of water.

If a concentration of between 300 and 1,000 bacteria per 100 milliliter is found, an advisory is instituted. If a concentration of more than 1,000 bacteria per 100 milliliter is found, a no body contact warning is issued.

On July 11, Pessel said, authorities got a reading of 2,100 bacteria per 100 milliliters.

"Which is really high," said Pessel. "It was an immediate decision to close the beach."

The contamination level hasn't decreased significantly since then.

Authorities, along with researchers from Michigan State University, are still searching for the source of the E. coli.

"This is a public health issue," said Pessel.

A sewer-sniffing cadaver dog was brought to the lake on Wednesday, Pessel said. It led authorities to believe that the origin of the E. coli is human waste, not animal.

Pessel said that Barry County officials are looking for feedback from across the nation to explain the high concentration.

The Health Department believes that the contamination is localized to the main beach, which is why they have not closed off the entire lake and why the Old Beach remains open.

Information on which beaches are closed for water quality reasons can be found at the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality's website. Pessel said that website is being updated often.

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