Targeting unassessed – or not recently assessed – waterbodies in the New York portion of the Lake Champlain watershed, trained community volunteers and field technicians at Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute (PSC AWI) collected water quality data on 50 lakes. Using this information, PSC AWI staff developed watershed action plans for three priority water bodies, detailing ways in which to protect or improve water quality. This project was funded by the U.S. EPA to NEIWPCC in partnership with the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP).
Lakes eligible for the project either lacked an assessment altogether or it was conducted more than 20 years ago. Due to changes in area land use and development, decades old assessments fail to portray current water quality conditions. State agencies, towns, the LCBP and community groups rely on up-to-date data to guide resource management efforts that protect these ecosystems.
PSC AWI, nestled in the Adirondack Mountains in Brighton, New York, conducts regular water quality sampling in the region, as it has done for more than 25 years. This project expanded on these efforts and utilized the institute’s expertise in engaging community members in environmental work. Staff at PSC AWI recruited, trained and supported 20 volunteers to conduct water quality sampling at an eligible lake of their choosing. Field technicians with the institute sampled an additional 32 lakes determined by characteristics of the lake’s watershed: percent of land developed, percent of land in agriculture, road density, and last reported pH value.
The community scientists and field staff achieved the project goal of assessing 50 lakes, collecting 250 samples over the course of May to September 2022. Following an EPA-approved Quality Assurance Project Plan to ensure high-quality data, key water quality parameters measured included dissolved oxygen, pH, specific conductance, total phosphorus, nitrogen and chloride.
In the survey report, each lake received a two-page profile featuring a map of the watershed land use, location information, and characteristics about the lake and watershed. It also notes any aquatic invasive species detected and harmful algal bloom reports. Graphs of each water quality parameter comprise the second side.
Using the collected data, staff at the PSC AWI selected three priority water bodies to create watershed action plans for: Lake Colby, Mirror Lake, and Lake Roxanne. Each plan outlines priority projects that address water quality concerns of the given lake, while aligning with broader watershed-wide goals described in the LCBP Opportunities for Action management plan. For example, the Lake Colby Action Plan identifies four goals for the lake and its watershed aimed at reducing pollution, managing invasive species and enhancing community outreach and stewardship.
To explore the assessment results and three watershed action plans, see the project report available in NEIWPCC’s Resource Library.