JEFFERSON --- This time of the year the Lake of the Pines is usually hopping with boaters, swimmers and fisherman but a recent E-Coli outbreak has changed all that.

"Its been a ghost town and a ghost lake out there since the announcement," said Ron Plumlee owner of Top's Market.

With summer already in full swing local business owners are already seeing their business strike out.

"We've had a lot of cancellations for boat rental and cabins. We're down by 60 percent," Plumlee told us.

Even though some are staying away from the lake Plumlee thinks the strict regulations are a good thing.

"I'm not an expert on what the levels should be but I'm glad they have a level they are set at to be safe and not safe. We don't want people to be getting sick," Plumlee added. 

The US Army Corps of Engineers say the shallow swimming areas of the lake are closed but the main body of the water is safe for all users.