Consider several factors while swimming in open water, including the depth of the water, the current, and coldness, and your skill level. You can get your swimming skills assessed by a professional. Most local pools will also let you try on your lifejacket in the pool and help check the fit and function.

• Wear a lifejacket when swimming in open water. Swimming with a lifejacket and a buddy in lifeguarded (and especially unlifeguarded) areas will save lives.
• Wear a lifejacket while in a small boat, rafting, innertubing, water skiing, or on a personal water craft.
• Children under 12 should always wear a lifejacket while on any boat. It's the law.
• Midnight swims and swimming in unsupervised areas is especially dangerous for young people ages 12 – 24.

Bacteria are present in all lake water. Sometimes there are enough bacteria and other organisms to make people sick or uncomfortable. You can lower your risk and make any beach healthier by following these simple steps:

• Keep lake water out of your mouth.
• Do not let children wearing diapers go into the lake unless they wear leak-proof plastic pants.
• Do not swim in the lake if you have had a fever, nausea, or diarrhea in the last 48 hours, you can spread disease.

Algae is present in some lake water. It is a naturally occurring phenomenon. You may not wish to swim in areas with an abundance of algae because of the smell.

Lifeguards will begin summer duty at all five King County Park System swimming beaches on Sunday, June 20 at 12 noon. Lifeguards will remain on duty at the swimming beaches daily between 12 noon and 7:00 pm through Labor Day.

King County Park System swimming beaches are located at Juanita Beach Park (Kirkland), Luther Burbank Park (Mercer Island), Pine Lake Park (Sammamish), Lake Wilderness Park (Maple Valley), and Five Mile Lake Park (Federal Way).

Recent water quality testing has shown that fecal coliform bacteria levels at these five swimming beaches and other swimming beaches on Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish are low and safe for swimmers.

Measures started last year by the King County Park System at its five swimming beaches have been successful in maintaining low fecal coliform counts from geese droppings. Parks staff have enhanced maintenance practices and will continue to contract with a firm that uses trained dogs to keep geese from the five parks. The water pumping system installed at Juanita Beach last year is ready to go and will be used again this year if needed to keep water quality good at that location.

King County's Department of Natural Resources Lakes Monitoring Program will take water samples and test water quality each week at 19 Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish swimming beaches to ensure that levels of bacterial pollution remain within safe levels. This routine water quality testing was begun by the Department of Natural Resources in 1996. The King County Park System is also testing its three swimming beaches on small lakes (Pine Lake, Five Mile Lake, Lake Wilderness) on a weekly basis.

The King County Park System's two outdoor swimming pools (Vashon Island and Cottage Lake near Woodinville) opened for lifeguarded swimming on Memorial Day weekend.

For more information about swimming at King County pools and swimming beaches, please call 206-296-4232.

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