It's still not safe to go back into the water. Storm debris and high levels of bacteria have shut down several beaches in our area.
The Anne Arundel County Department of Health has issued advisories urging people not to swim, water ski, or have direct contact with the water at the following beaches:
- Bay Ridge Beach in Annapolis
- Chesapeake Bay Foundation Beach in Annapolis.
- Beverly Beach in Edgewater
- The Atlantic Marina Resort in Pasadena
High levels of bacteria was detected in the water samples at all of these beaches on the Chesapeake Bay. The swimming advisories will stay in effect until tests water samples show bacteria levels at acceptable levels.
The Cecil County Health Department has announced a swimming and wading advisory for the North East Beach Area.
Bacteria levels can rise for many reasons, including the days of heavy rains that caused flooding and washed debris, garbage, and sewer overflows into area waterways.
The Sandy Point South Beach also had high levels of bacteria. The Sandy Point State Park Beaches and the Fort Smallwood Park Swimming Beach are closed to swimmers until further notice due to storm debris in the water.
Volunteers started cleaning up some of the mess at Sandy Point Thursday, despite the rain. The Department of Natural Resources has another large-scale clean up planned for Saturday, August 4, starting at 9 a.m. If you'd like to volunteer, you can sign up here.