The Iowa DNR began monitoring the water quality at Iowa's 37 state beaches on May 19th and will continue to do so through the month of September. In additon to the state parks being monitored, 60 county-and-city run beaches will begin monitoring water quality as well.

The beaches will be sampled twice a week to better understand the water quality around the weekends when the beaches are filled with swimmers.

Eric O'Brien, DNR beach monitoring coordinator, says that "Our monitoring over the past eight swimming seasons has shown that our state park beaches are safe for swimming the vast majority of the time." The number of beaches with a high geometric mean was the lowest that had been recorded in a number of years.

The DNR uses what is called the geometric mean to indicate water quality. The geometric mean is a type of average that keeps the data from being skewed and creates a more true mean. To get the geometric mean five sample results are taken over a 30 day period and calculated. From 2000-07 less than eight percent of beaches surpassed the gemetric mean standard.

There are no visual signs of water quality so there are two options in choosing a beach suitable for swimming:

* Weekly water quality results are posted on the DNR website at www.iowadnr.gov under "Beach Monitoring", check to see if a beach near you is having problems with water quality.

* Also, all state beaches are required to post a "swimming is not recommened" if conditions are not right for swimming.

Although state parks have to post a sign if the water quality is below standard, the 60 county-and-city run beaches are not required to post these warning signs, so checking the DNR website is always a safe bet when planning a day at a local beach.

The Lakeside Laboratory is offering a more local view of water quality with their Cooperative Lakes Area Monitoring Project (CLAMP). They will be offering free training sessions and use of equipment to anyone with access to a boat and who is willing to volunteer a half-day at least three times a summer.

The training sessions will be held at the Lakeside Lab on Saturday, May 31st at 10 a.m and 1p.m; Sunday June 1st at 1p.m; and Wednesday, June 4th at 10a.m and 1p.m. Only one session is required.

The lake monitoring will include the following lakes: West and East Okoboji, Big and Little Spirit, Silver Lake, Center Lake, Upper and Lower Gar and Minnewashta.

* To register for a training session or for more information about CLAMP, contact Jane Shuttleworth at (712) 337-3669, or email at lakesidejane@yahoo.com.