Beaches reopen in time for holiday weekend

Sunset Beach and the beach at Happy Camp were reopened Friday in time for the biggest recreational weekend of Canyon Lake’s year after the testing of water samples taken last week came back within a safe level.

Water samples taken from Canyon Lake’s beaches on May 8 had come back with elevated results for microcystins for the two beaches and the Canyon Lake POA immediately closed them. However, the association immediately ordered more-current samples and rushed them to a lab in Sacramento for re-testing. The results came back Friday and showed that the microcystin levels had dropped and allowed the reopening of the beaches in time for the Memorial Day weekend.

Safe levels of microcystins fall below 0.8 micrograms per liter. Caution Warnings are posted when microcystins are in the 0.8 to 5.9 range. The re-tested samples came in at 0.2 microcystins at the beach at Happy Camp and .45 microcystins at Sunset Beach, both well below the 0.8 threshold.

For several years, the Canyon Lake POA and Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) have cooperated to test Canyon Lake’s recreational water prior to major holidays. Water samples from Happy Camp, Sierra Park, Sunset Beach, Indian Beach, and Holiday Harbor were taken and tested.

Earlier, Sunset Beach and the beach at Happy Camp had elevated results for microcystins that were in the “danger” range. That sampling was done prior to the recent Alum Treatment, which may have some effect on the current water conditions.

Those danger levels required the Canyon Lake POA to prohibit all recreational activity in the water at Sunset Beach and Happy Camp. “Danger” level signs were posted at those locations. With the new results, the beaches were reopened and the signs removed.

Microcystins are toxins produced by cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria are also known as blue-green algae and are ubiquitous in surface water when conditions are favorable for growth and formation of algal blooms.