The Illusion of Water

By Patty Pratapas

Water: it evokes feelings, memories, emotions, and inspiration.

At a very young age I learned to swim. It was our family’s culture to acquire this skill and to respect what water brings to us─the dangers, the beauties, the nourishment, and LIFE. We would travel across the country camping in the State and National Parks, from Acadia to Superior to the Gulf Coast. There was always a body of water to play in, fish in, and contemplate in. But every year from the time I was a preteen until today, we would camp in Peninsula State Park. This tradition my husband and I carried on with our four daughters and it continues today as our children and their children come back each summer to this wonderful peninsula of Door County. What started as our yearly vacations have become our permanent home now on the waters of Green Bay, here in Southern Door County. My husband likes to call it the “End Game.”

The changing of the seasons on the lakefront has a unique beauty to it. Each day is different in what you see, feel and smell. I walk to the shoreline every morning and I breathe in the air, warm or cold, and say, “Thank You.” The water balances me and brings me peace. Each summer our children and grandchildren come to stay with us at “the Lake House” for a week or two and this past summer was no different. Our grandchildren play in the water and explore the nearby Sugar Creek County Park looking for crayfish, frogs and salamanders. It is the vision of what childhood should be like for all─exploration in nature, seeking what’s under the next rock, and experiencing the joy of adventure. We do “Papa Camp” activities with the grandkids, we swim, fish, hike, kayak, and have campfires. So many memories and life learning experiences we gain together, this is sacred time.

Living on the water, you notice changes. I began to feel ripples of concern when I noticed torrents of brown water flow from Sugar Creek following heavy rains during the springtime and early summers. At times the runoff was so great that the shoreline water would stay brown for many days, or until a strong north wind would change the current. As summers passed into July and August, I would notice the trend of regularly seeing Cladophora accumulate in the shallow waters, sometimes changing the color of the water to pea green soup until a strong north wind came along for a few days. As I saw the trends continue year after year I began to have doubts of the safety of the water for swimming and exploring in.

Our time together with family was winding down this past July as each of our daughters' families had to return home to work and to commitments. Our oldest daughter, who resides in California, stayed a few extra days before traveling to Ohio to spend a week with her husband's family. Two days into her drive to Ohio, within hours of each other, she and her husband and their two sons all became suddenly ill with gastrointestinal symptoms. When symptoms did not let up and the youngest son who is 4, became dehydrated, they all went to the emergency room. Testing was completed, and it was confirmed that they were all positive for cryptosporidium, and the youngest son was positive for E. coli as well. My biggest fears hit me like a wave. This is from the lake water!

Recovery was more complex for the youngest grandson since he needed a second ER visit for recurrent dehydration. The rest of the family recovered within two weeks. The impact of this was an extreme physical, emotional, and financial burden for them all. Their illness impacted our entire family; fears about the safety of the water and what we needed to do to keep ourselves safe were pervasive.

So many questions revolved in my head. Can my grandkids play safely in the lake water? Can I swim in the water? Can they safely explore the creeks? Can their dogs play in the water? What does this mean, and where do I go for the answers?

I called our local health department here in Door County to report this case as the ER in Ohio would be sending the report to Los Angeles since that is the home address of my daughter. I also called Door County Parks for answers to my many questions and for some directions. I was given resources to the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh which works in conjunction with the Wisconsin DNR to monitor the beaches in Door County. I learned that there is a beach monitoring system in place, but the miles and miles of shoreline that I live along in Southern Door County has little representation. From north to south, Haines Beach to Red River Park, there is no current beach monitoring. I searched for any informational speakers on the environment and clean water, and that led me to the Door County Environmental Council (DCEC). Here I found a wealth of information about the environmental impact of climate change, rural farming practices, and the negative impact it has on our water and health. I also found compassionate voices of support. Sadly, I learned that Sugar Creek County Park is on Door County’s ‘Impaired Waters List’ contaminated with phosphorus. With each answer I got, I had several more questions. So what do I do now?

I Get Involved!

I am advocating to have more beach testing in Southern Door County, particularly in areas open to the public such as parks and boat launches. I am volunteering as a water action volunteer at Crossroads at Big Creek, and I am joining the DCEC to continue my journey in knowledge acquisition and advocacy for clean water for all. I invite you to join me on this quest, there is so much to learn.

“When the well’s dry we know the worth of water”

Benjamin Franklin