Indiana had nearly 80 more days of beach closures and advisories along Lake Michigan this year than in 2024. That’s according to an analysis by the Environmental Law and Policy Center.
It shows two beaches drove most of that increase while the water quality at many beaches improved. Buffington Harbor Beach and one of the Jeorse Park beaches accounted for more than two-thirds of those closures and advisories.
Nancy Stoner is a senior attorney with the ELPC and served as the Environmental Protection Agency's Acting Assistant Administrator for Water under the Obama administration.
She said common sources of urban beach contamination are sewage and pet waste — but there’s also a marina, a casino and several industries in the area that could have contributed too.
“So the more you have development of those kinds, as opposed to forests and other kinds of things that soak up pollution, the more likely it is that the rainfall will wash it into the waterway and there'll be a problem," Stoner said.
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Stoner said we tend to see more beach contamination in wetter years.
She said it’s important that Indiana find the source of the pollution and inform the public.
“The more the public knows about the beach water contamination issues, the more that the public will want to pay to address those issues, clean up the beaches so that they can go out and have fun with their families and know that they won't get sick," Stoner said.
About half of Indiana’s Lake Michigan beaches saw fewer closures and advisories this year — notably the east beach of Indiana Dunes State Park and Washington Beach in Michigan City.
Rebecca is our energy and environment reporter. Contact her at rthiele@iu.edu or on Signal at IPBenvironment.01. Follow her on Twitter at @beckythiele.