Popular Colorado swim area closed due to elevated levels of E. coli

AURORA, Colo. (KRDO) -- Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has temporarily closed the natural swim area at Cherry Creek State Park due to unsafe E. coli levels.

Cherry Creek State Park is located in Aurora, just southeast of Denver, and is a very popular swimming location.

CPW said that Thursday morning, routine daily water quality testing revealed higher than allowable levels of the bacteria, as determined by Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment standards.

The swim area will remain closed until water sample testing shows a decrease in E. coli.

Although the swim area is closed to swimming, beach access and other water-related activities, like fishing and paddle boarding, are allowed. No other areas of the park are affected.

“The elevated bacteria levels can be caused by fecal waste from wildlife, run-off from urban areas, or excessive run-off from rain, and the park has seen heavy rainfall this year," said Cherry Creek State Park Operations Manager Larry Butterfield.

The park’s website and CPW Northeast Region Twitter account will announce when the swim area will reopen.

Read more about CDPHE’s guidelines for swim beach monitoring on the department’s website.