Patoka Lake issues beach advisory after blue-green algae, E. coli concerns

Patoka Lake placed its Newton Stewart SRA beach under a beach advisory June 15 after routine monitoring found concerns tied to blue-green algae and E. coli. The warning does not close the beach, and swimming and boating remain permitted, but officials are telling families to treat the water with care before letting children wade, pets splash or anyone swallow lake water.

Indiana’s beach alert system requires a local beach manager to post an alert when a sample tops the state recreational water quality standard of 235 cfu/100ml. That standard is part of a broader summer monitoring program that began May 11 for the 2026 recreation season and will continue through the week of Sept. 1, ahead of Labor Day weekend. In other words, this advisory is part of the normal public-health watch over Indiana swimming beaches, but it still marks a real change in how visitors should use the lake.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says blue-green algae can be present in local lakes and reservoirs year-round, and levels can rise during summer. At Patoka Lake, that matters because the lake is a major recreation draw in Dubois County and the surrounding region, drawing campers, day-trippers and boaters to an 8,800-acre lake that sits within a 25,800-acre property. The DNR describes the lake as a major recreation area south of French Lick and West Baden and east of Jasper.

Under the advisory, the safest course is simple: avoid contact with algae, do not swallow lake water while swimming, and shower with warm, soapy water after any exposure. Officials also say not to use lake water for cooking or bathing. Pets should stay out of the water where algae is present, and the DNR says pets are not permitted to swim at the beach. That distinction matters for families who may assume a visible shoreline or open beach means the water is harmless; the advisory is a reminder that conditions can change even when the swim beach stays open.

For Dubois County residents planning a summer visit, the message is not to cancel every trip to Patoka Lake, but to adjust how the lake is used. The advisory is a caution that puts health first while preserving access to one of the area’s most important outdoor spaces.