Citizen Lake-Monitoring Program (CLMP+): Advanced Volunteer Lake Monitoring on Boot Lake

Document
Description
Minnesota's Citizen Lake-Monitoring Program (CLMP) is the largest and oldest volunteer lake monitoring program in the country. Volunteers in the CLMP currently use a Secchi disk to measure the clarity on hundreds of Minnesota's lakes. The expanded program, including the collection of water chemistry samples for analysis along with Secchi transparency collection, was conducted in Becker, Itasca, and Polk Counties in 2006. In Becker County, Boot Lake was selected for monitoring during the 2006 season. All equipment and analytical costs for the samples were provided and paid for by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). As part of the CLMP+, volunteers collect water chemistry samples and temperature profiles twice per month along with taking weekly Secchi transparency readings. After sampling, the volunteers dropped off their samples at a predetermined location. For Boot Lake, Michelle Prosser, Hubbard County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), coordinated the sample drop-off/pick up schedule for the samples. Special thanks to volunteer Roger Stecker who helped make this project a success. MPCA staff and volunteer monitors collected quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) samples for this project as well. The MPCA core lake-monitoring programs include the CLMP and the Lake Assessment Program (LAP). In addition to these programs, the MPCA annually monitors numerous lakes to provide baseline water quality data, provide data for potential LAP lakes, and characterize lake conditions in different regions of the state. MPCA also examines year-to-year variability in ecoregion reference lakes and provides additional trophic status data for lakes exhibiting trends in Secchi transparency. Lake depth can have a significant influence on lake processes and water quality. One such process is thermal stratification (formation of distinct temperature layers, see Figure 1a), in which deep lakes (maximum depths of 30 - 40 feet or more) often stratify (form layers) during the summer months and are referred to as dimictic (Figure 1c). These lakes fully-mix or turnover twice per year; typically in spring and fall (Figure 1d). Shallow lakes (maximum depths of 20 feet or less) in contrast, typically do not stratify and are often referred to as polymictic (Figure 1b). Some lakes, intermediate between these two, may stratify intermittently during calm periods. Measurement of temperature throughout the water column (surface to bottom) at selected intervals (e.g. every meter) can be used to determine whether the lake is well-mixed or stratified. It can also identify the depth of the thermocline (zone of maximum change in temperature over the depth interval). In general, the upper, well-mixed layer (epilimnion) is warm and has high oxygen concentrations. In contrast, the lower layer (hypolimnion) is much cooler and often has little or no oxygen. Most of the fish in the lake will be found in the epilimnion or near the thermocline. The combined effect of depth and stratification can influence overall water quality.
Date Issued
2007-03
Number of Pages
36
Decade
Author
Publisher
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (St. Paul, Minnesota)
Keywords
Body of Water
Rights Holder
Minnesota Water Research Digital Library
Rights Management
Creative Commons