The number of Michigan public beach closures and health advisories remained stable in 2025, according to statistics reported by the Michigan Department of the Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).
There were 231 beach closures and advisories, compared to 230 in 2024. Bacterial contamination was responsible for most of the advisories.
In all, public beaches whose results were reported to EGLE in 2024 were closed or under health advisories for 1219 days. The beach most often closed or under a health advisory was Newburgh and Sumac Pointes along Hines Drive in Wayne County, with 112 days affected. A Wayne State University lab is using source tracking methods to identify sources of fecal contamination at this beach.
The discharge, leakage or runoff of sewage contributes to bacterial contamination, as does wildlife, including shorebirds.
“Most beaches recover quickly within a day or two after reporting elevated E. coli levels that are due to rain,” said Dr. Shannon Briggs, a toxicologist at EGLE. “There are some beaches that report closures more frequently, and they’re being tested with DNA-based microbial source tracking methods to identify the host of fecal contamination.”
EGLE has supported this work in collaboration with local health departments and 20 labs with specialized instruments and training. The group is the Michigan Network for Environmental Health and Technology (MINET).
St. Clair Shores Memorial Park Beach also has a sizable number of health standard exceedances and closures, said Briggs. “That beach is what we call a ‘’pocket’ beach where the beach water gets trapped by the geography of the shore. The water quality improves further away from the pocketed area.”
Great Lakes beaches at Michigan state parks were little affected by advisories and closures in 2025. Bay City State Recreation Area was affected on five days, Port Sanilac on two, and Cheboygan State Park, Lakeport State Park, P.J. Hoffmaster, and Traverse City State Park on one.
For years, test results for harmful E. coli levels could not yield same-day results, meaning that advisories and closures might be posted even though contamination eased overnight.
To reduce that delay, MINET labs, with support from EGLE, have been using methods known as quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) methods to test E. coli at beaches. Results from these methods are available in about 6 hours.
However, a newer technology may contribute to even more timely advisories, Briggs said. “One of the most interesting things this summer is that the local health departments have a new screening tool device that gives results in 15 minutes at the beach. The advantage is that the device fits in your pocket and can be used at the beach.”
It’s hoped that endotoxin levels detected by the new tool will correlate with E. coli levels that are used to determine the need for closures and advisories. In addition, four of the MINET labs (MTU, WSU, MSU, and UM) collaborated on a proposal and received a grant award to evaluate the new endotoxin test.
“We hope to know more about the 15-minute test when the MINET labs meet in Traverse City in October to report their findings at the National Beach Summit, hosted by EGLE,” said Briggs.
If that works, then it may be possible to identify a threshold value of the endotoxin that can be used to open or close a beach in 15 minutes, she said.
During the swimming season, information on beach closures and advisories statewide is available on EGLE’s Beach Guard website.
