boating

The park rangers at Lake Red Rock would like to remind the public about camping and boating safety this holiday weekend.

Park Ranger Tracy Spry encourages all boaters to do a full safety check before heading out on the water.

“Even though it’s the last part of the summer, some people might be a little bit lax in making sure they have everything,” Spry says. “It should always be something they check before they leave shore; look for your life jackets, look for a sound device, and do you have a fire extinguisher, do you know where it is?”

She says those operating a vessel should avoid drinking while boating and that all passengers should be wearing a life jacket anytime a boat is moving on the water. Spry adds that it’s important to supervise all children, especially at campgrounds near waterways, and to know where they are headed at all times. She reminds campers to only start fires in designated areas.

North Overlook Swimming Not Recommended

Recent bacterial sampling at the North Overlook Beach at Lake Red Rock has shown elevated bacterial counts.

Sampling at the beaches is performed weekly by the Corps of Engineers through a contract with Iowa State University. Due to high readings, the beach will be posted with “Swimming Not Recommended” signs until further testing indicates low bacteria counts. While this week’s test results showed high bacterial population at the beach, Whitebreast Beach and the main body of the lake had low bacterial counts.