Sunnybrae Beach in Tappen (Photo credit: Columbia Shuswap Regional District)

By Pete McIntyre

risk of illness

Water quality advisory issued for Shuswap Lake beach

Jun 29, 2022 | 2:15 PM

Sunnybrae Beach has been placed on a Beach Water Quality Advisory due to unacceptable E.coli bacterial counts found in recent routine water samples.

The beach is in Sunnybrae Provincial Park in Tappen, located on Shuswap Lake, near Salmon Arm.

The beach is not closed, however, Interior Health is advising that due to the elevated water sample results, the public should be made aware of the increased risk of swimming there.

When bacterial counts are high, there is an increased risk of illness to swimmers and bathers who use the water.

Follow-up water samples are being taken and the advisory will be rescinded once samples show acceptable bacteria levels. The water at Sunnybrae Beach is routinely tested on a weekly basis.

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This Beach Water Quality Advisory is in addition to the cautionary advisory issued June 28 by Interior Health regarding an algae bloom in the Salmon Arm Bay, which includes the Sunnybrae area.

Interior Health reports there can be a number of reasons for elevated E.coli levels including wildlife, such as geese, causing an increase in bacteria levels. The weather can also play a factor, with heavy rains washing contaminants off the shore and into the wate​r or temperature increasing bacterial growth.

Sunnybrae Community Beach Park will remain open for public use, however users are advised to refrain from activities in which a person’s whole body and face are frequently immersed in the water. Users are reminded not to ingest any untreated water.

This advisory is only in place for the Sunnybrae Beach area and does not affect the CSRD’s Sandy Beach or Pebble Beach in Blind Bay.