This is the third year gates are surrounding McKinley Beach keeping swimmers away from the dangerous waters. The popular crescent-shaped beach was closed in August 2020 after four drownings and several near drownings. During the closure, Milwaukee County investigated what was happening at the beach. “Immediately after the closure, the Milwaukee County Board put contingency funding towards studying the beach and figuring out what exactly was happening that was causing a raised risk to swimmers and McKinley Beach. That analysis showed that the weather depth due to the depth of Lake Michigan and the loss of sand at McKinley Beach had increased the water around four feet, creating a greater depth,” Sarah Toomsen said. Toomsen, who works in the planning and development department at Milwaukee County Parks, said various currents from Lake Michigan and currents created by nearby structures were leading hazards unable to be seen at the surface. The solution: Milwaukee County Parks will decrease the depth of the water. The highest point within the stony breakwaters is currently 6 feet. They will decrease it to 2 feet to 2 1/2 feet by adding sand. This allows the beach to be a wading beach, reducing the risk of drownings. The project will begin in June and continue for four to eight weeks, depending on weather and lake conditions.
MILWAUKEE COUNTY, Wis. —
This is the third year gates are surrounding McKinley Beach keeping swimmers away from the dangerous waters.
The popular crescent-shaped beach was closed in August 2020 after four drownings and several near drownings.
During the closure, Milwaukee County investigated what was happening at the beach.
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“Immediately after the closure, the Milwaukee County Board put contingency funding towards studying the beach and figuring out what exactly was happening that was causing a raised risk to swimmers and McKinley Beach. That analysis showed that the weather depth due to the depth of Lake Michigan and the loss of sand at McKinley Beach had increased the water around four feet, creating a greater depth,” Sarah Toomsen said.
Toomsen, who works in the planning and development department at Milwaukee County Parks, said various currents from Lake Michigan and currents created by nearby structures were leading hazards unable to be seen at the surface.
The solution: Milwaukee County Parks will decrease the depth of the water. The highest point within the stony breakwaters is currently 6 feet. They will decrease it to 2 feet to 2 1/2 feet by adding sand.
This allows the beach to be a wading beach, reducing the risk of drownings.
The project will begin in June and continue for four to eight weeks, depending on weather and lake conditions.
