Adopt-A-Lake Water Quality Monitoring Program

2011 was a successful third full season of data collection. The 2011 report should be available by the end of May. A new addition to the program in 2011 was the formal incorporation of an Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Prevention Program. Prevention and monitoring work began among Adopt-A-Lake volunteers as far back as 2009.

We are gearing up for our 2012 data collection season. With funding from the Seeley Lake Community Foundation, we have purchased a dissolved oxygen meter to expand our data parameters. Also, Plum Creek Timber Company has donated fiberglass tapes that will reduce data error due to stretching ropes. The AIS program received funding through the Collaborative Forest and Landscape Restoration (CFLR) program in late summer 2011. The program will expand greatly this summer supported by these funds.

We are planning to begin data collection in May or June. We will hold a few training sessions either in late May or early June to bring everyone up to speed. We will also hold several more training sessions throughout the summer to accommodate volunteers who aren't available in May or June.

Volunteer teams are working on Clearwater, Rainy, Alva, Inez, Seeley, Salmon, Placid and Big Sky Lakes. We will work with each team to help develop monitoring schedules and methods of delivering data sheets back to CRC. More volunteers are always welcome. If you'd like to be a part of this exciting program, please email lakes@crcmt.org or call (406) 677-0069.

1. 2010 Adopt-A-Lake Monitoring Report
2. 2009 Adopt-A-Lake Monitoring Report
3. 2008 Adopt-A-Lake Monitoring Report

General Information:

Our lakes are the center of our community. We fish, swim, and play in them. They provide water for our town. The wildlife we love are dependent on them. Our lakes are the center of tourism, our local economy, and our way of life.

Unfortunately, we do not know much about our lakes. The agencies responsible for keeping track of our lakes are overwhelmed, but we can help!

CRC began a lake monitoring program on Seeley Lake, Salmon Lake, Placid Lake, Lake Alva, and Lake Inez in 2008. We are open to collecting data on other lakes if there is interest. We will be collecting data May through October each year and are looking for volunteers to help us!

We are asking for volunteers to collect simple data on water clarity and temperature. Data needs to be collected between 10am and 2pm twice per month for each site, and volunteers need to have a boat to access the sites. We will have two sites per lake.

If you are interested in volunteering, contact Ken at 677-0069 or lakes@crcmt.org.