30 Mile staff, alongside 28 dedicated volunteers, monitored water quality in 13 lakes and ponds this year – completing more than 112 sampling events! We are now completing our data analysis, then will be compiling our findings into our annual lake reports. In the meantime, check out the dissolved oxygen/temperature profiles and clarity readings we collected this season by visiting our website.
Through our monitoring program, we collect extensive data to track the health of our lakes and ponds. We measure water clarity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, phosphorus, chlorophyll, pH, alkalinity, conductivity, and color. We monitor bi-weekly, May-October. Volunteers work alongside our staff, in a canoe or motor boat, assisting in data collection. Volunteers who complete training and annual recertification with Lake Stewards of Maine may become certified to collect data themselves. There are roles for both trained and untrained volunteers to support our program. To support our water quality monitoring program as a volunteer, or become a certified volunteer monitor, please contact 30 Mile’s Program Director, Whitney Baker: whitney@30mileriver.org or (207) 860-4043.
A BIG THANKS to volunteers who made this program possible in 2023:
Androscoggin Lake: Ian Barclay, Leslie Burhoe, Patt Koscinski**, Allen & Cynthia Unrein
Basin Pond: Bob Harradon
David Pond: Bob Harradon, Kirstie Ludwig
Echo Lake: Gary Phillips**
Flying Pond: Nancy Hemphill, Bill & Cindy Murphy, Randy & Wendy Oakley, Len & Debbie Roe, Steve Trehu
Hales Pond: Steve Foster
Kimball Pond: Libby & Allan Harville
Lovejoy Pond: Ted & Mary Becker
Minnehonk Lake: Greg Cauldwell, Christine Merchant, Jane & Carl Rogers
Parker Pond: Brynne Robbins, Ken Tillman, Bob Weimont & Maggie Chadwick
Pocasset Lake: Deb Duplisea*, Will Jennings, Jeremy Smith
Tilton Pond: Jim Brogan*
Whittier Pond: Sheri Shunney*, Ned and Kay Van Woert*
*Certified Volunteer Monitor – Secchi Disk Transparency
**Certified Volunteer Monitor – Dissolved Oxygen/Temperature and Secchi Disk Transparency
Ted Becker rowing back to shore from the monitoring station on Lovejoy Pond
Gary Phillips checks his dissolved oxygen (DO) meter before recording a DO & Temp profile on Echo Lake
Allen Unrein and Patt Koscinski during a 2023 monitoring trip on Androscoggin Lake
This article was included in 30 Mile’s December 2023 newsletter. To view the full newsletter, click here.