PLIA has been studying swimmers itch since 2016. Platte Lake has swimmers itch, but it has historically been at very low level. The organization is concerned about anything that can alter the quality of the lake and that includes keeping an eye on swimmers itch. However, the CDC advises applying over-the-counter anti-itch creams, cool compresses or baking soda to relieve symptoms.The ongoing surveillance of Platte Lake by the PLIA is not limited to simply monitoring phosphorus levels. Cases generally resolve on their own, and do not require medical treatment. Do not attract birds to areas where people are swimming.Towel dry or shower immediately after leaving the water and.Don’t swim or wade in marshy areas where snails and ducks are commonly found.In the meantime, members of the partnership encourage people to follow basic tips from the CDC to avoid swimmers itch, though there is no sure-fire way to avoid it, aside from not swimming in areas where swimmers itch has been documented. For decades, area lake associations have been trying to find ways to combat the parasite, talking with legislators and forming the Crystal Lake Swimmers Itch Partnership, which consists of representatives from the Congregational Summer Assembly, The Crystal Conference Center, the Crystal Beach Cottagers Association, the Crystal Lake Yacht Club, Chimney Corners Resort, the Village of Beulah, The City of Frankfort and the Crystal Lake and Watershed Association. Though swimmers itch may be a good sign for the quality of the environment, it isn’t a good sign for people who like to swim. “It is actually more prolific in clear, clean waters, so it doesn’t mean the water quality is bad.” ”Aside from Crystal Lake, we’ve had swimmers itch in the Herring lakes, Long Lake, Glen Lake, Green Lake, Duck Lake and Lake Leelanau,” He said. He also said hunting mergansers in the fall is encouraged.Īccording to Ed Hoogterp, past president of the Crystal Lake and Watershed Association, swimmers itch has been known to plague most other lakes in Northern Michigan, as well as Crystal. “Basically, we’ll be making a lot of noise to try and scare the birds away, so they don’t nest here.” ”We’ve gotten a permit, and we’ll be working on scaring the ducks away with pyrotechnics next spring,” Buzzell said. The group also performs snail counts and tries to keep the number of merganser ducks on the lake down in order to break the chain of infection. Earlier in the year, the group raked the waters near the shore to agitate snails into releasing the parasitic larva prematurely, a technique called scarification. Jones said the partnership is not only collecting data, but also working on preventative measures. He also said not all cases are reported, as some visitors don’t know they have it until they leave the county. Mike Jones, educational outreach coordinator for the Benzie Conservation District and a member of Crystal Lake Swimmers Itch Partnership, said cases and the locations of swimmers itch are hard to judge, as they move around, based on where the ducks are and which way the wind blows. ”With the number of swimming days we’ve had, the numbers are similar to last year, which had fewer cases than previous years,” he said.”We’re not sure why, but it hasn’t been as much of a problem like it has in the past.” According to Joel Buzzell, president of the Crystal Lake and Watershed Association, the numbers of swimmers itch cases are down this year from previous years.
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