BERN TWP., Pa. — On one of the last big weekends of summer, this is the part of Blue Marsh officials don’t want you using.
“Earlier this morning, the Army Corps of Engineers and the staff here at Blue Marsh instituted a swim beach closure due to elevated E. coli bacteria levels in the water,” said Jonah Eckert, chief park ranger at Blue Marsh Lake.
The warning comes just as Labor Day crowds are expected to arrive, but a few feet away, Kimberly Pineda and her family aren’t letting the closure ruin their evening.
“We love it because we like to come here to make carnitas and spend time with our family,” Pineda said.
For them, Blue Marsh isn’t just about swimming.
“Actually, we only come here to make carnitas. I think you can come here to spend time with your family without getting in the water,” Pineda said.
And that’s exactly what park officials say visitors can still do.
“The rest of the lake is still open. You’ll see folks boating behind me. People are going to be picnicking in the day use areas and recreating here at Blue Marsh on the trails,” Eckert said.
And with summer running out, Kimberly plans to enjoy it while she can.
“That’s why we take advantage of the summer. Because for the winter it’s very difficult,” Pineda said.
Meanwhile, park officials are testing the water every day.
“We’ll have those results back early tomorrow morning. There’s a chance that we could reopen as early as tomorrow,” Eckert said.
Officials are testing the water daily. If the levels are back to a safe standard, the beach could reopen.