HEBER SPRINGS, Ark. – The Corps of Engineers, Greers Ferry Project Office has closed the day use swim beach in Dam Site Park on Greers Ferry Lake until further notice. The beach is located on the right side of the causeway heading to “Trouble Island” in Dam Site Park. The temporary closure is the result of higher than acceptable E. coli levels that were found during routine testing conducted by the Arkansas Department of Health.
The Corps has posted signs indicating high bacteria levels at this location. Swimming is not recommended in areas with high bacteria levels. Once bacteria levels are within the acceptable range the swim beach will reopen.
According to Arkansas Department of Health officials, the high bacteria levels could be from a heavy amount of goose droppings. A continual challenge in dealing with residential geese is the fact that people are feeding them. As a result, the geese become more used to human activity and start expecting to be fed every time someone walks or drives into an area. This time of year, the geese are in the molting period so they can't fly which also contributes to the higher concentration of geese in particular areas. Officials ask visitors to not feed the geese.
For more information on the status of other recreation areas on Greers Ferry Lake call the Greers Ferry Project Office at 501-362-2416, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Release no. 16-074