Acapulco Rock

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Lake Watch of Lake Martin initiated a ‘Swim Guide’ network of bacterial monitoring of swim areas throughout the lake and select streams to inform the public if the water meets health standards for swimming and whole-body contact put forth by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. 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 via triplicate testing for the presence of E. coli bacteria, the indicator for fecal contamination in the water. Monitors test popular swim areas from April through October once a month. Results are posted on Swim Guide as soon as test results are available (usually within 48 hours) and accessed through the Lake Watch Swim Guide webpage (www.lakewatch.org/Swim-Guide). A beach is marked GREEN (meets health standards) 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 meets health standards for swimming. A beach is marked RED (does not meet health standards) 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. Go to www.theswimguide.org/about for more information on Swim Guide status symbols. The testing data provide a general guide to the health of the lake and should only be used for informational purposes. These data are valid for the date and time of the test and do not guarantee the sampled area meets the health standards for swimming at other times. Overall, E. coli levels in Lake Martin are very 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.