Every summer water samples and visual readings are taken
by residents on Birch Lake. Twice monthly from May through September, samples and readings are taken and handed over to our watershed staff, VLAWMO, for
processing and evaluation. The reason for the sampling is to monitor several
lakes and ponds within our watershed that were identified as having local
significance.
Although VLAWMO began the Citizens Lake Monitoring
Program (CLMP) in 1997, samples have been taken on Birch and sent into the DNR
and the MN Pollution Control Association since the early 1930’s.
The testing involves taking multiple water samples from
varying depths, measuring visual clarity with a Seechi disk, noting recent
weather patterns that may have affected the readings, and listing the water
depth off the DNR calibrated depth meter. Birch Lake volunteers take the
samples and document this information and then give it to VLAWMO staff for
processing.
The data received from the monitoring of Birch Lake and 11
other lakes within the VLAWMO’s district are used by the Minnesota DNR and
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to determine the health of the
state's waters.
Water
samplers come in all ages and levels of experience
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