The guide below provides additional information and interpretation of lake monitoring data.
Understanding Lake Data Guide (pdf)
This guide was written to help people understand information about lake water quality and to interpret lake data. Each lake possesses a unique “personality,” or set of physical and chemical characteristics which may change over time. Lakes exhibit chemical changes on a daily basis while other changes, such as plant and algae growth, occur seasonally. A glossary of technical terms is included to help the reader understand the language used in the study of lakes (limnology).
Citizen Lake Monitoring Network data is used by lake managers, researchers, planners, biologists, lake residents, and other members of the public. These data are used to show trends in water quality and biological communities, calibrate the LandSat8 satellite, and gain a better understanding of lake ecology. Many research projects have compared water quality data with other variables including aquatic invasive species abundance, land management activities, and more, to help understand how these factors influence each other.
Projects Using CLMN Data (exit UWEX Lakes)
North American Secchi Dip-In (exit UWEX Lakes)
The North American Secchi Dip-in is a continent-wide water clarity tracking program, coordinated by Kent State University in Ohio. Volunteers collect water transparency data from late June to mid-July each year, which is used to determine trends in water clarity across the United States and Canada.
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