Stay healthy in Lake Erie by using these online tools

SANDUSKY — If you plan to take your family swimming in the lake, check to make sure your chosen beach has reasonably clean water.The Erie County Health Department carries out water quality tests during the summer at 25 local beaches, checking water samples for the presence of E. coli bacteria.The results of the tests are posted at the health department's website, eriecohealthohio.com. Many of the beaches also have results posted on a sign at the scene.The ratings for the beaches are "good," fair," "poor" and "advisory." Avoid the beaches that have an "advisory" reading, and beaches rated "poor" also might be a bad bet.If you want to go to a beach outside of Erie County, such as the beach at East Harbor State Park in Ottawa County, try the Ohio Beach Guard website at publicapps.odh.ohio.gov/beachguardpublic, which compiles beach testing reports from all over the state. The home page for the site always has the most recent lists of beaches with an "advisory" rating that you should avoid.Bacteria isn't the only threat to water quality. Each year, Lake Erie has a harmful algal bloom, and the blooms are known to produce toxins that can affect both people and pets.The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said when you see a blue-green algal bloom scum on top of the water, you should keep people and animals out of it.The Ohio EPA will issue advisories for recreational areas along the lake when algal blooms make it a bad idea to go into the water. The agency's information page on harmful algal blooms is located at epa.ohio.gov/HAB-Algae.At least twice a week, the NOAA issues an email bulletin which gives the current location of Lake Erie's harmful algal bloom; subscribing to the bulletin is a good way to find out which areas to avoid. To sign up for the bulletin, go to tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/hab/lakeerie.html.Reach reporter Tom Jackson at jackson@sanduskyregister.com and follow him on Twitter @jacksontom.A sign tells Main Street Beach visitors that the water quality is predicted to be good on Weds, June 1, in Vermilion. After the water samples collected from 25 locations across Erie County are tested for E-coli, the results are posted at all respective public beaches and waterways the next day. Non-public areas are posted on the Health District's website.