25 years of volunteer monitoring
About the Program
The Lake Partner Program is a volunteer-based water monitoring program. Each year over 600 volunteers collect water samples and record water clarity in 550 lakes at over 850 sampling locations and this data is sent to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) chemistry lab for analyses. This data is used to report on water quality across Ontario and is available online.
Mission: To foster interest and promote stewardship of water quality across Ontario and maintain a long-term data set on water quality in inland lakes.
More information on the LPP can be found here.
The program needs more long-term volunteers and GBA is looking to find one coordinator from each association to act as a program liaison.
Details
Lake Partner Program volunteers collect lake water samples and make monthly water clarity observations from May to October. The sampling process is easy! Volunteers are sent kits that contain the bottles and equipment necessary to conduct water clarity measurements and take water samples. The samples are returned, postage paid, for analysis.
How to get involved
For more information or to find out how you can become a volunteer Lake Steward with the Lake Partner Program, please contact Bonnie Blanchard (bonnie@bonnieblanchard.ca).