Technical Lake Documents

A Methods Manual for Volunteer Lake Monitoring — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regularly produces technical guidance covering aspects of lakes management. Following are several key documents prepared by EPA which can be viewed online.

Lake and Reservoir Bioassessment and Biocriteria Technical Guidance Document, (EPA 841-B-98-007) (PDF)(204 pp, 15 MB, About PDF) Exit — This guidance document provides a tool to assist lake managers in using scientifically valid, practical biological assessment in the management of the Nation's lakes and reservoirs. The guidance was developed based on the experiences of existing state, regional and national lake monitoring programs, some of which are cited in case studies throughout the document.

Questions and Answers on the Relationship Between the Section 319 Nonpoint Source Program and the Section 314 Clean Lakes Program

Volunteer Lake Monitoring: A Methods Manual — This manual was developed by EPA to present specific information on volunteer lake water quality monitoring methods. It is intended both for the organizers of the lake volunteer monitoring program, and for the volunteer who will actually be sampling lake conditions. Its emphasis is on identifying appropriate parameters to monitor and setting out specific steps for each selected monitoring methods. Careful quality assurance/quality control procedures are advocated throughout this manual to ensure that the data collected by volunteers are useful to States and other agencies.

Watershed Protection: Clean Lake Case Study: Phosphorus Inactivation and Wetland Manipulation Improve Kezar Lake, New Hampshire (EPA 841-F-95-002) — This case study highlights the use of aluminum salts to inactivate in-lake phosphorus and manipulation of wetlands to remove phosphorus in Kezar Lake, NH. These techniques were successfully implemented under a Phase II Restoration Project under EPA section 314 Clean Lakes Program (CLP). Also, a CLP section 314 Phase III Post-Restoration Monitoring Project assessed the effectiveness of this project.

Watershed Protection: Clean Lakes Case Study: Use of Aquatic Weevils to Control a Nuisance Weed in Lake Bomoseen, Vermont (EPA 841-F-97-002, Number 3) — This case study highlights the use of aquatic weevils as a biological control for Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) in Lake Bomoseen, VT. The initial results in Lake Bomoseen, and in several other lakes, indicate that this technique shows promise for controlling the growth of Eurasian watermilfoil and could potentially be used in other lakes with similar problems.’

Watershed Protection: Clean Lake Case Study: Watershed and In-lake Practices Improve Green Valley Lake, Iowa (EPA 841-F-95-003) — This case study highlights the water quality problems identified through a Clean Lakes Program (CLP) Section 314 Diagnostic/Feasibility Study and the successful restoration program (Phase II of the CLP) that was implemented at Green Valley Lake, Iowa. The results of the Clean Lakes Post-Restoration Monitoring project are also highlighted and indicate that the water quality has improved.

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