The July Fourth holiday saw thousands of people out boating and swimming on Beaver Lake and other local lakes and rivers. But large amounts of flooding from earlier in the year have left a lot of debris in the water, and several U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) swim beaches were closed either to high water and debris, or high levels of fecal coliform (E. coli). E. coli can cause fever, nausea, diarrhea or stomach cramps in humans exposed to it.
Randal “Jay” Townsend, chief of public affairs for the USACE Little Rock District, wrote in an email July 4 that the Arkansas Dept. of Health (ADH) has listed some possible causes of high E. coli levels including resident Canada geese using the managed swim beach areas for grazing. Campers feeding the geese can make the situation worse by keeping the geese in the area.
“Canada geese are carriers of several bacteria and parasites that may be pathogenic to humans,” states a publication from the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Service. “The bacterium most commonly associated with Canada goose droppings is the fecal coliform. While E. coli is a normal inhabitant of the gastrointestinal tract of warm-blooded animals and is usually harmless, some pathogenic strains have been found in Canada goose droppings. Other bacteria that have been documented in droppings include species of Camplobacter (enteritis) and Salmonella, Legionella pneumophila (Legionnaires disease), and Toxoplasma gondii (toxoplasmosis). No evidence exists linking these illnesses to direct contact with Canada goose droppings; however, exposure to water contaminated with goose feces is a possible epidemiological risk.”
Townsend wrote in an email to the Eureka Springs Independent that feral swine can also contribute to E. coli level and all 75 counties have been identified with a feral swine population. “In some cases, high levels could be produced from humans and/or other animals,” Townsend said.
While a potential source of pollution is failing septic tank systems, there are no home septic tanks near the swim beaches.
Townsend said the Dam Site Lake Day Use Area has been closed due to bad samples since May 24. “ADH requires two good samples in a row before a swim beach can be reopened,” he said. “The beaches closed because of high water have been closed all summer. ADH manages the swim beach testing program. They only require samples from the designated swimming areas. We do not test or close other areas. There is signage at each closed park.”
As of July 4, the following Beaver Lake swim beaches were closed due to flood debris: War Eagle, Hickory Creek, Horseshoe Bend Day Use, Rocky Branch Campground, Lost Bridge South, and Greers Ferry.
Table Rock Lake swim beaches were open.
In late June swim beaches were closed at Prairie Creek, Indian Creek and Lost Bridge North parks, as well as at the Dam Site day use swim beach and Dam Site campground swim beach. Testing only at designated swim beaches may miss other areas popular for swimmers. People are allowed to swim anywhere on the lake except swim beaches that are closed.
A year ago, the Independent published an article “Gaggle of Geese Got to Go” written after this reporter, her grandson and a friend all got sick after swimming off their campsite at the Dam Site Park that was covered in goose droppings. The article quoted Landon Thurman, chief recreational ranger of the Beaver District of the Corps, saying they were in the process of getting permits from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife to do a goose roundup with the help of Arkansas Game & Fish. The plan was that at a certain time of year when the geese are molting and can’t fly, they would be harvested and donated to food banks.
However, nothing was done and the number of invasive, non-native Canada geese continues to grow.
A recent article in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette said there is a season for hunting Canada geese and the potential for working with hunters or hunter groups to cull these nuisance animals. When asked if that was a possible solution, Townsend said they have partnered with the USF&W in the past. “They can speak more to how effective these efforts were,” he said.
Some other mitigation measures in the past include treating the grassy areas with something that tastes bad for the geese. Townsend said he believed rangers have tried similar techniques in the past.
“It’s only a temporary solution,” Townsend said. “It only works for a short period of time. We are not currently treating the grassy areas.”
It has been hot and dry for about a month, and temperatures were expected to be near 100° for most of the week of July 4. High water temperatures can contribute to fecal coliform levels. Townsend said rainfall runoff and debris can elevate levels. As development increases along the lake, particularly in areas that rely on septic tanks that may not be maintained properly or are located in areas where septic tank drain fields don’t work property, the problems can increase.
Ozarks Water Watch (H2Ozarks) states on its website that help is available for people in the Beaver Reservoir Watershed with failing onsite septic systems. The group has received a $1 million grant from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Commission for septic system remediation from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.
Eligible projects must be physically located within the Beaver Reservoir Watershed and designated as failing by an ADH Environmental Health Specialist from the property owner’s County Health Unit. H2Ozarks said signs of a failing septic system are water backing up or gurgling in household drains, an odor around the septic tank and drain field or bright green spongy grass growing on the drain field.