Coulon and Matthews Beaches closed to swimmers

2005 Archived News

Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park and Matthews Beach Park on Lake Washington are closed to swimmers. Signs notifying beach-goers of the closure are posted at both beaches.

The beaches were closed Friday, July 15 after water samples taken by the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks exceeded the acceptable water quality standards for fecal coliform. Testing was a routine part of King County’s Swimming Beach Monitoring Program.

Other beaches remain safe for swimming. Fecal coliform levels at other beaches are well below those at Matthews and Coulon Beaches.

The King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks will retest the water at the closed beaches daily. Kennydale Beach will also be sampled. The beaches will reopen when water quality standards are at acceptable levels for five days.

Swimming beaches are sampled by King County once a week from May through September and tests water quality in lakes on a monthly basis.

For more information about King County's Swimming Beach Monitoring Program visit the King County Natural Resources and Parks Dept. website at http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/waterres/swimbeach/default.aspx