It's been a hot, sweaty summer and people are almost certainly seeking relief at the beach. But they've had 50-50 odds on whether the county's beaches would be open to swimming. | Swimming has been off limits at Durand Eastman beach 23 days and open for 25 so far this season. Ontario has been closed 24 days and open 23 days. The most common reasons for closure are high bacteria levels, excessive algae, and cloudy water. | The heat can exacerbate algae growth and decay, but otherwise doesn't contribute to closings, says County Health Department spokesperson John Ricci. Instead, the closings often stem from heavy rainstorms. The rain results in runoff, which carries sediment and bacteria into Lake Ontario or the Genesee River. | The Genesee River contributes to closings at both beaches, but it's a tricky situation to address. Some of the nutrients or bacteria that the river puts into the lake originate well outside of Monroe County. Several programs are in progress to address that problem. | Last year, Ontario beach was closed for 32 out of 80 days, and Durand Eastman was closed 39 out of 84 days.