In Lake, Porter , and LaPorte Counties, parks, beaches and nearby communities offer a wide variety of attractions. There is something for everyone along Indiana's coast. Lake County, the western most county on Indiana's coast ranked third among the state's 92 counties in tourism dollars. The shoreline is more than a place to visit, it's a place to live, and a place to work. The use of the shoreline to live, work, and play can impact the quality of this resource.
Great effort is made to ensure the water is clean and our beaches are healthy.
Periodically, swimmers may be cautioned that swimming is not recommended due to high waves, swift currents, or high levels of bacteria found to be present in near shore waters. Indiana is one of only five states nationwide to test the water near beaches using US Environmental Protection Agency recommended standards on a regular basis. Indiana uses the EPA recommended standard and performs this test on a weekly basis. To eliminate the need to restrict swimming at Indiana beaches at times during the summer due to high levels of bacteria, several agencies have joined to form the Interagency Task Force on E. coli. Many agencies at all levels of government have studied the periodic occurrence of high levels of bacteria.