For participants and interested parties in The Ann Arbor Triathlon on Sunday, June 10 at Half Moon Lake in Ann Arbor:
The Half Moon Lake swimming area, where the swim for the race is held, is currently closed (Wednesday, June 6, 2007) for swimming due to tested high levels of the ecoli bacteria. Officials from Washtenaw County conduct regular water quality tests and tests conducted on Monday, June 4 (results received today) were too high for safe public swimming.
A new test was conducted by Washtenaw County officials today. Results of the test will be available on Friday, June 8. Pending the outcome of these results, the race may be modified.
Participants already registered for the event have been e-mailed this information and a link to the Washtenaw County website to monitor and verify water testing results for Half Moon (and all) tested Washtenaw County lakes.
Should water conditions continue to require that the beach remain closed the event will be changed to a duathlon format (an optional duathlon is already a part of the event).
Additional information will be updated this this thread and e-mailed to aprticipants as it becomes available.
That’s too bad that the BikeSport Ann Arbor Triathlon will have to be cancelled and modified into a Duathlon if the water tests show high levels of ecoli bacteria on Friday. It’s my understanding that the Race for Recovery Sprint Triathlon (1000 yd swim, 14 mile bike, & 4 mile run) just down the road is still open for registration for those that still want to do a Sprint distance triathlon this weekend. Lake Erie at Sterling State Park in Monroe is reported to be clean, clear, calm, & cool for racers with light winds forecasted on race day. To sign up go to:
Bad weekend for Michigan triathlons this weekend. Lake Macatawa is also closed for swimming. Sounds like it’s going to be a duathlon as well unless the levels drop. But looking at those numbers there is a lot less poo in the water in Holland than in Ann Arbor so we might have more of chance to swim that you.
Also the rain we had on Sunday and Monday is whats causing the problem, it washed all the geese poop and fertilizer from people’s yard into the lake. I have lived on the lake for 6 years and this is the highest I have ever seen the water. Everybody’s docks are underwater and the level is even over most peoples see walls.
Exactly. Speaking entirely candidly, it ain’t looking good folks. As you mentioned the water levels are oddly high. We’ve had some people who have swam in the lake and heard very mixed reviews. This is serious stuff- we ought not trifle with it. If the county says its not safe for swimming I am 100% on board with that. It has been a weird year for swims…
You know, we were chatting about this last night. It’s a damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation. Here’s what I mean: If we had an event scheduled at a big body of water like one of the great lakes, there are a set of associated factors that could influence the swim- high seas, wind, cold water temps. I emphasize *could *influence the swim. As posters have pointed out it can change for better or for worse overnight. Almost impossible to predict beyond 12 hours.
So you suggest the answer is to go to smaller, inland lakes like at Maumee Bay next weekend and Ann Arbor this weekend to minimize exposure to those factors…
Well, not necessarily as we see this weekend with our event at Ann Arbor with bacteria levels.
Personally, I’d rather take my chances with rough water and cold temps than bacteria. There is something so *sinister *about bacteria- yucky.
Anyway- damned if we do, damned if we don’t. Fiddlesticks.
We’ll wait for the update. Even that said, if the county comes back and says, “The test is OK, you’re cleared to swim…” I mean, how clean is it? Remember the year at Chicago when they made athletes sign a waiver before they entered the water accepting that the water quality was poor? That was not cool. Ugh.
I thought the bacteria died not settled to the bottom. It would seem like speed boats etc… would stir this up constantly and each year get progressively worse. Do you have a reference that this is the cycle of the lake? Also Halfmoon Lake is spring fed and it’s water is flowing downstream through a damm through about 3 more lakes into the Huron River and this may be the reason the water quality changes in about 3 days. Not really sure though.
Thanks for the reference. I wonder if the temperature differences between Mich and Texas and the fact the the water will go down to the 30’s temp wise helps any of the lakes in Michigan?
Hmmm. Looks like I may have made a smart decision by skipping Ann Arbor this weekend. The course doesn’t really suit me anyway, especially if they change it to a duathlon.
The course doesn’t really suit me anyway, especially if they change it to a duathlon.