Lake Partner
FOCA has partnered for many years with the Ministry of the Environment on volunteer water-quality monitoring programs.
The goal of the Lake Partner Program is to better understand and protect the quality of Ontario's inland lakes by involving citizens in a volunteer-based water quality monitoring program.
The Lake Partner Program is a province-wide, volunteer-based, water-quality monitoring program. Volunteers collect total phosphorus samples and make monthly water clarity observations on their lakes. This information will allow the early detection of changes in the nutrient status and/or the water clarity of the lake due to the impacts of shoreline development, climate change and other stresses.
Volunteer involvement requires the collection of one water sample for total phosphorus in May for lakes on the Canadian Shield and one sample each month (May-Oct) for lakes that are off the shield. These samples are returned postage paid to the Dorset Environmental Science Centre for analysis. In addition, volunteers are asked to make a minimum of 6 (monthly) water clarity observations using a Secchi disk. These observations are mailed to Dorset at the end of the summer.
For more information email the FOCA office at programs@foca.on.ca or contact the Ministry of the Environment, Lake Partner Program at:
Dorset Environmental Science Centre
P.O. Box 39
1026 Bellwood Acres Rd.
Dorset, ON
P0A 1E0
Tel (Toll Free - Ontario Only):
1-800-470-8322
Tel (Outside Ontario):
1-705-766-1294
Fax: 705-766-2254
E-mail: lakepartner@ene.gov.on.ca
or visit their website at http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/envision/water/lake_partner/
Related Downloads:
2010 Lake Partner Program Registration Form
2009 Lake Partner Program Total Phosphorus Data
2009 Lake Partner Program Water Clarity (Secchi Disc) Data
Sampling Instructions from MOE
Interpreting Phosphorus and Secchi Readings
High levels of phosphorus can lead to algal blooms and in some cases affect the habitat of cold water fish such as lake trout. By sampling the total phosphorus each year it is possible to detect a change in the nutrient status of your lake. It is important to note that several years of data must be collected to observe the normal, between-year-differences before a trend can be identified.
While total phosphorus concentrations are the best way to describe the nutrient status of your lake, regular Secchi depths can also help to identify changes in water clarity that are not linked to nutrient status (zebra mussels, climate change, etc.).
