Municipal beaches along the Lake Erie shoreline are popular alternatives to the better-known beaches at Presque Isle.

The beaches aren't meticulously maintained, because of budget constraints, and beach conditions largely depend on water and wind. Storms, like the severe thunderstorms that buffeted the Lake Erie shoreline Tuesday, deposit driftwood and algae and eat away at beach sand.

"We really don't have the resources to clean that up. Similarly, we don't do sand replenishment because we don't have the budget for that," said Harborcreek Township Supervisor Tim May, who oversees Shades Beach and other township-owned parks.

But all of the beaches are open and expected to attract steady streams of visitors.

"What people like about these beaches is that they don't get so crowded. The sand here maybe is not as pure as at Presque Isle, but we love it," North East Township Supervisor Gus Neff said.

North East Township owns and maintains Freeport Beach in partnership with North East Borough. It also owns and maintains North East Township Community Conservation Park, including a long stretch of beach, near the New York State line.

See Monday's Erie Times-News and GoErie.com for more coverage.

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Township beaches battered by recent storms, but open