|
-„~~ i
<br />.,,_
<br />Working for the Region, Planning for the Future - -- • ~ j ~~~~`~'-•-
<br />I
<br />November 22, 1996 _ . _:_. ~ .._ . _~ ~._.__.__.
<br />- ,•
<br />EDWARD ROBERTS, PRES. --- ---' .- _ -- -^--- -.-~
<br />GRASS LAKE WMO -- - _
<br />C/O CITY OF SHOREVIEW
<br />4600 VICTORIA ST.
<br />SHOREVIEW MN 55126
<br />Dear Mr. Roberts:
<br />As you may already be aware, the Metropolitan Council has been overseeing acitizen-assisted lake
<br />menitorir_g program since 1993. This year's monitoring, which involved 51 lakes (53 lake sites) in 12
<br />sponsor watersheds, four sponsor cities, and one sponsor county has been underway since mid-April.
<br />Although, we have yet to complete the analysis of the 1996 monitoring data, citizen involvement and
<br />enthusiasm as well as their collection of valid data in each of the previous years of CAMP (determined
<br />through quality assurance checks), point to the program's success.
<br />The purpose of the lake monitoring program is designed to provide lake and watershed managers with
<br />good lake quality data as well as involve local interested citizens. In order to determine potential
<br />involvement we need to hear from you about the interest of your watershed management organization
<br />(WMO), and local governing agencies in participating in this survey program. It would also be useful
<br />if you would indicate to us which lakes you would like to include in the 1997 sampling program. As
<br />was the case a year ago, we envision that WMOs and local governing agencies will be the primary
<br />liaison for the citizens who do the sampling and the Council staff who coordinate the collection and
<br />analysis of samples. Involving citizens serves the dual role of substantially reducing the cost of
<br />obtaining data and at the same time, involving local residents in water quality issues.
<br />Citizen volunteers, using simple field collection and preservation techniques, can be trained to collect
<br />credible data. The sampling program involves collecting samples from the lake surface at bi-weekly
<br />intervals throughout the summer (mid-April through mid-October), for a total of 14 sampling visits.
<br />Volunteers collect water to be analyzed for total phosphorus, total Kjeldahl nitrogen and chlorophyll,
<br />and measure surface temperature and water transparency with a Secchi dish. Water samples ;ire
<br />processed and then stored in the citizens' home freezers for later pick-up by Council staff, and
<br />volunteers use inexpensive sampling equipment provided by the Council as part of the overall cost per
<br />lake site. Council staff will also collect occasional samples for quality assurance. The cost to the
<br />WMOs or local governing agency in 1997 will be $1,000 per lake site per summer.. This cost includes
<br />equipment, lab analyses, as well as receiving a copy of the data and a report. The cost will be slightly
<br />less (approximately $860), if the sampling equipment was already acquired as part of CAMP in
<br />previous years.
<br />Council staff will assist when needed, but we feel the WMOs or local governing agencies benefit most
<br />from the involving its citizens in the monitoring process. The Council will train the citizen volunteers,
<br />collect the samples for analysis, provide quality assurance sampling, and report the sample results to
<br />the WMOs and local governing agencies.
<br />230 East Fifth Street St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-1633 (612) 222-8423 Fax 229-2183 TDD/TTY 229-3760
<br />., ., c,,.,,,i n.,.,,,~~~.,~.,, c,,,.,i.,~,N~
<br />
|