A family of geese enjoys the sunshine at Tourist Park Beach. Tourist Park Beach, which was recently closed due to unsafe levels of E. coli, is now open again for swimming and freshwater enjoyment. (Journal photo by Abby LaForest)

MARQUETTE — Tourist Park Beach has reopened for swimming again, the city of Marquette announced on Saturday.

Water samples taken on July 11 showed that bacteria levels have returned to safe levels at Tourist Park Beach and the water is now open for swimmers to enjoy.

When the beach was closed last week, E. coli levels were at 311.03 as a daily mean sample for water testing on Friday, and anything over 300 in a three-sample geometric mean sample average is considered unsafe.

Tests conducted on Friday indicate that the daily mean sample of E. coli levels were approximately 60.28, which indicates an appropriate level to allow swimmers back in the water and to open up the beach.

Higher E. coli levels can be a result of runoff from an urban area or a site where agriculture takes place. With the E. coli levels being safe for humans to swim in, the beach has reopened.

The city says that, like always, it will continue to monitor the water quality at the city’s beaches during the summer swimming season.

More information about water quality sampling on Michigan beaches can be viewed online at mienviro.michigan.gov/explorer/beach/map/results.

Abby LaForest can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 548. Her email address is alaforest@miningjournal.net.