Indiana has started an online system to let people know when Lake Michigan beaches are open or closed.
The new feature is called "BeachGuard" and can be found on the Indiana Department of Environmental Management Web site. It updates swimming conditions along Indiana's 43-mile-long lakeshore in Lake, LaPorte and Porter counties.
High levels of bacteria in lake waters sometimes lead to beach closures, including the popular stretches along Indiana Dunes State Park near Chesterton. This new feature will allow lake visitors to check conditions before heading out to the sandy shores.
Click on the image to check out the BeachGuard feature.