Horseshoe Bend National Military Park boat ramp

Source Information

Lake Watch of Lake Martin initiated a ‘Swim Alert’ network of bacterial monitoring of swim areas throughout the lake to inform lake users if the water is safe for swimming. Lake Watch monitors have been trained and certified by Alabama Water Watch and use either the Coliscan Easygel test method from Micrology Labs or the R-card-ECC test method from Roth Bioscience. The water is tested for the presence of the bacteria, E. coli, the indicator for fecal contamination in the water. Monitors test swim areas from April through October once a month, and after significant rain events (more than one inch). Results are posted on Swim Guide as soon as test results are available (~ 48 hours) and accessed through the Lake Watch Swim Alert website (www.lakewatch.org/Swim-Alert). A beach is marked GREEN (safe) when the test result does not exceed 235 E. coli/100 mL of water, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management single-sample criterion for water that is considered safe for swimming. A beach is marked RED (not safe) when the test result is greater than 235 E. coli/100 mL of water. A beach is marked GREY when there are no current results or there is no available information. The testing data provides a general guide to the health of the lake and should only be used for informational purposes. This data does not guarantee the sampled area is safe for swimming at all times. Overall, E. coli levels in Lake Martin are low, and the lake is typically safe for swimming. However, E. coli levels change, and frequently increase after rain events - if the water is muddy, then E. coli levels are likely to be elevated. Contact Lake Watch of Lake Martin at info@lakewatch.org if you have questions or can assist us in protecting our one and only Treasured Alabama Lake.