Swimming areas stay closed at Burnsville and Sutton Lakes

BURNSVILLE, W.Va. — Two in style swimming seashores in Braxton County stay closed after testing by the native well being division revealed larger than acceptable ranges of coliform.

The assessments had been carried out by the Braxton County Health Department final week. The outcomes prompted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to shut down the swimming areas as a precaution on each our bodies of water.

“They test all of our designated swimming areas both at Burnsville and Sutton Lakes,” mentioned Burnsville Dam Project Manager Michael McCoy. “They have thresholds for coliforms and E-Coli you can’t exceed. Our E-coli was well under the threshold, but the total coliforms were above what was recommended for a public swimming area.”

The seashores on the Bee Run Recreational Area on Sutton Lake and the Bulltown Day Use Area at Burnsville Lake are closed till re-testing reveals the extent of contamination again beneath the appropriate ranges.

“They’re supposed to re-test Tuesday or Wednesday and if the levels have gone back down we’ll reopen the beaches,” he mentioned.

The supply of the elevated degree of coliform will not be recognized for sure, however McCoy advised it might most likely be blamed on a excessive variety of geese which congregate within the swimming space typically and depart droppings behind.

Despite the closure of the seaside areas, the remainder of the 2 lakes are open to be used.

“We’re not closing any parts of the lake, we only test that swimming area,” he mentioned.

Although the subsequent check is predicted to be on Tuesday or Wednesday, well being division officers mentioned they want three days with out rainfall earlier than they will check the water high quality once more. Until that point, the 2 seashores stay shut down.