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