OGL Coastal Note: DNR and OGL Partner to Improve Swimmer Safety at Coastal State Parks

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Great Lakes Notes

DNR and Office of the Great Lakes Partner to Improve

Swimmer Safety at Coastal State Parks

 

The sun-warmed sands, sparkling waters, and crashing waves of Michigan’s coasts make a Michigan beach day an unforgettable experience. Millions of visitors are drawn to our State Parks each year for the chance to swim and paddle the cobalt surf of the “big water.”

 

Image of Green Swim Beach Safety Flag The same waters that make Michigan summers great can endanger unwary swimmers if underwater currents or lakeside weather take a turn for the worse. The National Weather Service reports that rescues are needed each year to save Great Lakes swimmers swept away by currents or trapped in danger zones by piers.

 

The Michigan Office of the Great Lakes and the Department of Natural Resources are partnering to deliver beach safety information to help visitors protect themselves and keep beach days fun.

 

Enhanced beach flag warning systems have been implemented at Michigan’s 24 coastal state parks with swim areas, providing visitors with quick, clear understanding of swim conditions. This year’s new, larger flags follow a “stoplight” warning system:

 

  • Green = Go, and stay aware while swimming.
  • Yellow = Caution, watch for currents and high waves.
  • Red = Stop! Stay out of the water.

 

The new flags feature print-lettered colors and a “no-swim” symbol on the red flag to assist color-blind individuals.

 

In addition to the flag system, State Park beaches also feature new signs informing visitors about swim hazards like dangerous currents. These include traditional rip currents, structural rip currents, and river outlet currents. Warnings about swimming next to piers are important because around 60% of current-related incidents on the Great Lakes are caused by structural rip currents.

 

The Coastal Management Program in the Office of the Great Lakes funded the beach signs and enhanced flag system with grant funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Partners including Michigan Sea Grant, Michigan Technological University, University of Michigan, and the National Weather Service were instrumental in developing the beach signs and flag system. The DNR trained parks staff members to deploy and use the system.

 

Keep friends and family safe by visiting the National Weather Service’s Great Lakes Beach Hazards Interactive Map before swimming.

 

Contact Mike Evanoff, DNR Statewide Safety Officer, for more information about the deployment of signs and the beach flag warning system at evanoffm@michigan.gov or 989-686-3389.

 

Learn how Michigan’s Coastal Management Program works to keep swimmers safe by contacting Matt Warner at warnerm1@michigan.gov, 517-284-5051, or visit www.michigan.gov/coastalmanagement.

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