Water Column a Publication of the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program
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the Water Column A Publication of the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program Vol. 18, No. 1 Fall 2013 CITIZEN LAKE SCIENTISTS Their Vital Role in Monitoring & Protecting Maine Lakes What’s Inside President's Message . 2 President’s Lakeside Notes: Citizen Lake Scientists . 3 Littorally Speaking: Moosehead Survey . 4 Quality Counts: Certification & Data Credibility . 6 Chinese Mystery Snails . 7 Message Is The Secchi Disk Becoming Obsolete? . 8 Bill Monagle IPP Season in Review . 9 President, VLMP Board of Directors The VLMP Lake Monitoring Advantage . 10 Thank You Donors! . 12 2013 VLMP Annual Conference . 14 In The Wake of Thoreau... Welcome New Monitors! . 16 n a recent sunny and calm autumn what he could not see. An interesting Camp Kawanhee Braves High Winds . 17 afternoon while sipping tea with a perspective, wouldn’t you agree? VLMP Advisory Board Welcomes New Members . 18 O friend (well, one of us was sipping tea) How Do You Monitor Ice-Out? . 19 I am sharing this with you because on the dock of her lakeside home on 2013 Interns . .20 & 22 while my friend and I were enjoying Cobbossee Lake, and marveling at the Passings . 21 our refreshments and conversation, splendor before us, my friend remarked, Notices . 22 my thoughts went directly to the many ‘as a limnologist, I gather you see things volunteer lake monitors and invasive that the average observer cannot when plant patrollers of the Maine VLMP, looking out over a lake.' Well, that may and how essential your contributions be partly true. Having been involved are to more fully documenting and in lake science for over thirty years, I understanding the condition of many can speculate about what is occurring of Maine’s lakes and ponds. In essence, VLMP Staff beneath the lake surface, and my you help us better “see” what might Scott Williams Executive Director estimate might be close. But in reality, I otherwise go unobserved and Roberta Hill Invasive Species Program Director really don’t know for certain the drama Jonnie Maloney Program Coordinator undocumented. For an excellent that is unfolding on the complex stage Christine Guerette Program Assistant expression of the value of the Linda Bacon QA/QC Advisor (Maine DEP) of the lake ecosystem in any specific scientifically-based observations that time or place. Board of Directors VLMP’s many certified lake monitors Bill Monagle, President (Winthrop) All of which reminds me of a comment provide, whether by gathering Secchi Clyde Walton, Vice President (Fayette) by Darby Nelson regarding Henry transparency readings, or screening for Lew Wetzel, Treasurer (Casco) David Thoreau, who is considered by invasive aquatic plants, I direct you Phoebe Hardesty, Secretary (New Gloucester) many to be America’s first limnologist. to VLMP Executive Director Scott Malcolm Burson (Portland) In his excellent book, For Love of Lakes, Williams’ column, Lakeside Notes in Mary Jane Dillingham (Auburn) Nelson makes reference to Thoreau’s this issue of the Water Column. Sibyl French (Raymond) Paul Hunt (Portland) rudimentary understanding of lake Finally, I cannot stress enough the value Norton 'Buzz' Lamb (New Gloucester) ecology. He points out that Thoreau of, and appreciation for, the dedication Marsha Letourneau (Kennebunkport) observed, and could in great detail, and commitment of VLMP citizen Advisory Board describe the terrestrial environment lake scientists throughout Maine, who Aria Amirbahman Steve Norton of which he was a natural inhabitant, collect scientifically verifiable data that Dan Buckley Matt Scott but when it came to the lake or pond enables lake management decision Holly Ewing Peter Vaux (Chair) environment, Nelson wonders if makers, and all those who care about C . Barre Hellquist Ken Wagner Thoreau’s limnological shortcomings Maine’s bountiful water resources, to Martha Kirkpatrick Pixie Williams (if that’s what they indeed were) David Littell Karen Wilson have a better understanding of their may have been due to the fact that ecological health. Editorial Staff while Thoreau could see the forest, Scott Williams Jonnie Maloney, Layout with lakes, he simply could not “see’’ Many thanks to all of you! Roberta Hill Christine Guerette To Contact Us 24 Maple Hill Road VLMP Mission Statement Auburn, Maine 04210 The Mission of the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program is to help protect (207) 783-7733 vlmp@mainevlmp .org Maine lakes through widespread citizen participation in the gathering and www .MaineVolunteerLakeMonitors .org dissemination of credible scientific information pertaining to lake health. The VLMP trains, certifies and provides technical support to hundreds of volunteers Funding for this newsletter is made possible in part by grants from the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Maine Department who monitor a wide range of indicators of water quality, assess watershed of Environmental Protection, through Section 319 of the Clean health and function, and screen lakes for invasive aquatic plants and animals. Water Act, and individual donations and business sponsorships. In addition to being the primary source of lake data in the State of Maine, VLMP This newsletter is printed on 50% post-consumer recycled paper; volunteers benefit their local lakes by playing key stewardship and leadership produced & mailed by Penmor Lithographers, Lewiston, Maine . roles in their communities. 2 Lakeside Notes Celebrating Maine VLMP Citizen Lake Scientists nother lake monitoring season serve as a model for similar organizations Abegins to wind down, and throughout the country and Canada. thousands of field sheets from hundreds By Scott Williams of certified lake monitors across the state There are many advantages to the VLMP Executive Director of Maine are arriving. The mounting VLMP model—which protects documentation is impressive to be lakes through the widespread by Daniel Buckley at the University sure, but far more impressive is the engagement of citizen scientists. of Maine at Farmington, Gloeotrichia enormous body of work, dedication, (Please see article on page 10.) One density data for Holly Ewing’s research and commitment that these documents important advantage is that citizen- at Bates College, tracking lake ice-out represent. In this issue of the Water centered monitoring efforts have dates for several research initiatives, Column we celebrate Maine’s statewide a unique capacity to bring together and assisting the Maine DEP with team of citizen lake scientists, and otherwise isolated groups in a advanced forms of lake monitoring and the many ways in which they each common, community-building assessment. Maine’s clean, clear lakes, contribute to the gathering of credible effort. For example, this summer the and those whose lives are touched by scientific information on hundreds of VLMP partnered with the Webb Lake them, are the direct beneficiaries of Maine lakes. Association and Camp Kawanhee and these collaborations. other members of the local community The information gathered by VLMP As we reach the end of the 2013 to conduct two IPP training sessions. volunteers is critically important to our lake monitoring season, VLMP staff This training has helped to forge a new understanding of our lakes. Citizen lake are already busy at work with our alliance between the lake association scientists provide us with the basis for collaborative partners, Advisory Board and the summer camp that will carry evaluating declines and improvements members and lake monitors, to develop the monitoring effort forward for years in water quality, and the presence and formulate new lake monitoring to come. (Please see Pam Albertson’s or absence of aquatic invaders. They strategies for 2014. In light of all of this delightful article on page 17.) document the current state of healthy activity focused upon the future of lake native ecosystems as well as the loss monitoring, you might be thinking that Because the VLMP is an organization of critical habitat for fish and wildlife the best days of the Secchi disk—the that encourages and thrives on due to water quality changes or an tried and true tool of volunteer and infestation. The information collected collaboration and inclusiveness, professional lake monitors throughout by VLMP volunteers also provides a we are regularly engaged with the world—are drawing to an end. You means of better understanding the a diverse group of individuals would be mistaken! (Please check out effects of climate change on lakes. and organizations that are at the article on page 8.) the cutting edge of lake science Please join us in this celebration in and management—professionals, We hope that you will enjoy this special the pages that follow. You will see laypersons, and researchers who celebratory issue of the Water Column! why the Maine VLMP’s volunteer are asking new questions, using When you have finished reading it, citizen lake scientists are respected new technologies, and making we encourage you to pass your copy along to a friend, neighbor, or fellow throughout the country for their new discoveries. remarkable commitment to monitoring lake association member, so others will and protecting their lakes, and how come to know about the outstanding This nexus of activity puts our volunteers the information gathered by VLMP work, commitment, and stewardship of in touch with a nearly continuous stream lake monitors is used extensively by Maine’s citizen lake scientists, and the of innovative ideas and opportunities researchers, state and federal natural many ways in which they are working for monitoring,