Juanita Beach Closed Beyond July 4 Due To High Bacteria Levels

KIRKLAND, WA — Kirkland's Juanita Beach will be closed for swimming through the Independence Day weekend after King County crews detected high levels of bacteria, the city announced Wednesday.

Officials said water quality teams from the county's Water and Land Resources Division tested the water on Tuesday and determined bacteria levels on the eastern shore exceeded the acceptable threshold. The crew will return in a week to collect more samples, and Juanita Beach Park will remain closed to swimmers until bacteria readings return to the safe range.

Until then, officials said visitors and their pets should not swim or otherwise have contact with water at the beach. Closure signs are posted at the beach, and officials said lifeguards would be on-site to inform beachgoers of the issue.

Kirkland residents have two other beaches to choose from that are staffed with lifeguards through Labor Day, between noon and 6 p.m.

• Houghton Beach Park (5811 Lake Washington Blvd.)
  • The beach has a shallow swimming area for younger children and a deep water area where older visitors may also dive from the dock.
• Waverly Beach Park (633 Waverly Way)
  • This beach's swimming area is enclosed with a U-shaped dock, with both shallow and deep areas.

Find the latest water quality updates on the King County website.