On July 19 and 20, two area beaches will be closed for swimming. The closures are necessary for the application of milfoil treatment. On Mon., July 19, the swimming area at Meydenbauer Beach Park, 419- 98th Ave. NE will be closed due to milfoil treatment by the city and on Tues., July 20, the swimming area at Newcastle Beach Park, 4400 Lake Washington Blvd. SE will be closed due to milfoil treatment by an adjacent property owner.
Though the swimming areas will be closed, the remainder of the parks will remain open. The swimming area at Meydenbauer Beach Park will reopen on Tues., July 20, and the swimming area at Newcastle Beach Park will reopen on Wed., July 21.
According to the Department of Ecology, milfoil is considered to be the most problematic aquatic plant in Washington. Milfoil can drastically alter a water body’s ecology and rob oxygen from the water by preventing the wind from mixing the oxygenated surface waters to deeper water. The dense mats of vegetation can also increase the sedimentation rate by trapping sediments. More information about milfoil can be found on the Department of Ecology website at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/Programs/wq/plants/weeds/milfoil.html