Illinois Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program

Project Manager:
Holly Hudson, Senior Aquatic Biologist

Project Partners:

• Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
• Lake County Health Department
• Greater Egypt Regional Planning and Development Commission

Funding Source:
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

Project Dates:
Annual contract since 1982

Overview

  The 2011 monitoring season marked the 31st year of Illinois' Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program (VLMP).  Initiated by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1981, this popular program brings together citizens, state agency staff, and regional and local governmental staff to monitor and investigate the quality of Illinois's lakes.  In northeastern Illinois, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) serves as program coordinator for the counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, McHenry, and Will; the Lake County Health Department coordinates the program in Lake County.  For 15 southern Illinois counties, the Greater Egypt Regional Planning and Development Commission serves as coordinator.  Staff provides volunteer training, technical assistance, educational materials, data management, and assistance in newsletter and annual report preparation. 

Volunteers measure water transparency (clarity) in a lake of their choosing using a simple device called a Secchi disk (an 8-inch diameter plate painted black and white in opposite quadrants, attached to a calibrated rope or tape measure).  The disk is lowered into the water and the depth at which it is no longer visible is recorded.  The Secchi measurements are used to document changes in water transparency during the monitoring season as well as from year to year (Secchi transparency is affected by the color of the water and the amount of suspended sediment and algae in the lake).  Volunteers also record water color, aquatic plant growth, and several other factors relating to lake, weather, and watershed conditions at the time of monitoring.  Additionally, volunteers are asked to keep watch for several types of aquatic invasive species and to report potential sightings.  Monitoring typically is done twice a month from May through October at three in-lake locations.  Depending on available resources, a subset of volunteers also may have the opportunity to collect water samples that are analyzed at an Illinois EPA laboratory.  Water chemistry data provides important information on suspended material in the lake (sediment, algae, etc.) as well as levels of nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen) that can promote nuisance aquatic plant and algae growth.  All monitoring equipment, data forms, instructional materials (including a comprehensive Training Manual), and other supplies are provided to the volunteers.  Volunteers need only have a boat and anchor to participate.

VLMP data is used by Illinois EPA in its biennial assessment of the state's waters as required by the federal Clean Water Act, as well as by lake scientists, planners, consultants, and the volunteers themselves for a wide variety of purposes.  A primary goal of the VLMP is to familiarize volunteers with lake processes and the cause and effect relationships that exist between their lake, its watershed, weather, and human activities.  Through the VLMP's hands-on educational structure, the data and information gathered can more effectively assist in local lake and watershed management decision-making.  VLMP Secchi transparency data can be viewed and downloaded from http://dataservices.epa.illinois.gov/waBowSurfaceWater/anonymous/data.aspx.

Additional Information

More information on the VLMP is available from CMAP's Environment & Natural Resources Group (312-454-0400), Illinois EPA's Lakes Unit (217-782-3362), and on the VLMP website (http://www.epa.state.il.us/water/conservation/vlmp).