Swimming holes around Des Moines

Before you read any further, check the 2009 update of this post!

My children are grown now, but when they were little we all loved to swim. In the summer we spent lots of time swimming at several places including our favorite – the now defunct Camp Dodge – a huge outdoor pool that is no longer functioning – very sad. It was a great place, but don’t worry there are lots more outdoor opportunities now than 30 years ago.

The picture above is Gray’s Lake one month ago. It doesn’t look like that today. KCCI reports that city workers and volunteers from Upward Bound are doing a wonderful job trying to clean it up; as of July 1, the trees on the point of land are still covered with water at their bases. Something you won’t read in the paper is that you can smell the aura of animal waste as you drive by on Fleur Drive.

A month ago I would have said, “If you don’t mind a little mud and few bacteria you can still swim in Iowa lakes,” but now as the saying goes, “It’s a crapshoot.” During rains and floods animal waste washes into the rivers and lakes; with animal wastes come pathogenic (disease-causing) organisms (bacteria, viruses, protozoans, worms) including Giardia, Cryptosporidium, salmonella, and E. Coli to name a few. Ohio State expands this connection for us.

The Des Moines Register on-line cited data from DNR and Iowa State about Iowa lakes and acceptable risk. Iowa’s DNR tells  us why we should be concerned. You can find a much more limited list of frequently updated reports from the State. When you read any of these reports, remember that the OK to swim designation is given when the pathogen levels and water clarity are low enough to be considered acceptable. It doesn’t mean pathogen-free. Currently the results are mixed for four of our favorite lakes. Only Big Creek gets the acceptable for swimming (green) designation. Lake Ahquabi is yellow, and Gray’s Lake and Saylorville are red and closed.

Gray’s Lake which is free and right in the city (no swimming yet)

Big Creek State Park just northwest of Polk City (the State says OK)

Lake Ahquabi near Indianola (you decide)

Saylorville Lake also near Polk City (no swimming yet)

As a Michigan boy growing up in the 1940s we didn’t worry about a few bacteria, we worried about polio and crowds so we swam in the lakes (which were less crowded) and avoided the pools. My children growing up in the 1970s knew nothing about polio so they fussed about the mud and dirtiness of the lakes, and we spent more time at the pools.

For now you will likely want to consider the treated waters of municipal pools. The Des Moines area has some great new and a few older pools and aquatic centers in

Ankeny

Clive

Des Moines

Urbandale

West Des Moines at Holiday Park Aquatic Center and Valley View Aquatic Center and

White Water University in Pleasant Hill

Enjoy the summer. It’s finally here. Stay safe!

Guest Writer: James G. Lindberg (Jim) is the Purple Wren’s sweetie and is a visiting chemistry professor at Grinnell College and retired from Drake University.

James is James G. Lindberg (Jim) is the Purple Wren’s sweetie and is a visiting chemistry professor at Grinnell College and retired from Drake University.
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