Is there a favorite lake where you love to swim, boat or fish? Do you want to take part in protecting the water quality of that lake? If so, you're invited to become a volunteer lake monitor for the MiCorps Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program.
For more than 50 years, CLMP volunteers have collected valuable data on inland lakes statewide. This information is used by residents, local communities, researchers and state agencies like the DNR to better protect and manage Michigan's 11,000 inland lakes and the fish and wildlife that rely on them.
This community science opportunity gives an inside look into what's happening in your favorite lake. Volunteers receive detailed instructions, training and equipment to collect this data. You choose which lake to sample and which measurements to take. You can collect data on water quality (water clarity, nutrients, dissolved oxygen and algae), invasive species, native plants and shoreline conditions.
Free training is available May 1 and May 7. There is a small fee to cover the costs of supplies and analyzing samples, but volunteers often can collaborate with local lake associations or other organizations to help pay for these costs.
The MiCorps Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program is sponsored by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and is administered in partnership with Michigan State University Extension, the Michigan Lakes and Streams Association and the Huron River Watershed Council.
Visit the CLMP enrollment webpage for more information or contact Erick Elgin (MSUE) at 218-340-5731 or Joe Nohner (DNR) at 517-599-6825.