Water quality sampling at Pictured Rocks and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshores, 2005
Elias J. 2007. Water quality sampling at Pictured Rocks and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshores, 2005. Great Lakes Network Reports. GLKN/2007/06. Great Lakes Inventory & Monitoring Network. Ashland, Wisconsin
The Great Lakes Inventory and Monitoring Network measured water quality variables and collected water samples in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (PIRO) and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (SLBE) in 2005. The purpose of this work was twofold. First, in order to use diatoms as a biomonitoring indicator, current diatom communities must be calibrated with current water quality conditions. Multiple chemical and physical samples need to be collected over the course of the season to characterize mean lake conditions. The Network collected water quality data during the open water season and surface sediment samples at the end of the season. The St. Croix Watershed collected long cores from a subset of lakes to determine historical water quality conditions, and surface sediment samples for analysis of diatom communities relative to current water quality conditions. The second reason this water quality sampling project was undertaken was to test the sampling design and methods proposed in a draft protocol for monitoring water quality of inland lakes in Great Lakes Network parks. Water quality as a vital sign ranked high across Network parks and monitoring water quality is mandated by the National Park Service Water Resources Division. The sooner we could begin to test our proposed sampling design and understand logistical challenges, the more prepared we would be for eventual long-term monitoring. This report summarizes the Network’s activities related to the diatom project in 2005. A separate report, detailing progress on diatom analyses, will be written by the principal investigators (Drs. Dan Engstrom and Mark Edlund, SCWRS, and Dr. Brenda Lafrancois, NPS). Data from 2005 will be compared with data collected in previous years only after the details of field and laboratory methods for past work are known and deemed comparable.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Elias, Joan
- Date of Issue
- 2007-02
- Publisher
- Great Lakes Inventory & Monitoring Network
- Units
- GLKN , PIRO , SLBE
- Keywords
- diatom, Dissolved Oxygen, inland lake, Lake Water Quality Monitor, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Water Quality