Water levels on Lake Pend Oreille began rising on April 1st, signaling that summer is on its way. With this, comes the beginning of our volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program!
Through this program, our dedicated volunteers, affectionately known as Water Quality Stewards, undertake the responsibility of monitoring stations across the lake on a monthly basis from May through September. Each sample collected throughout the summer is sent to a nearby lab and tested for water quality indicators like temperature, dissolved oxygen, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and E. coli, to name a few. By collecting water samples from consistent locations, we gain invaluable insights into the condition of both the water and its shorelines.
Additionally, the stewards serve as extra sets of eyes and ears, letting us know if they see trash in the waterways, growth of noxious weeds, signs of toxic algae bloom, or evidence of poorly managed shoreline development. By tracking these various indicators of water quality, we can better understand what factors are impacting Lake Pend Oreille—and take action to protect and restore its waters.
This summer will be ICL’s third year managing the program, but the program’s 13th year in existence, having been managed by Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper before ICL took over. Each year we learn so much from our sampling—from identifying areas of impact to refining our monitoring methods. Last summer we added four new sampling stations at Camp Bay, Kootenai Bay, Oden Bay, and Sand Creek, bringing us to a total of 15 stations. Each station is selected through close collaboration with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ), which uses our data to make management decisions that protect water quality. We are currently working with IDEQ to finalize this season’s stations.
Science aside, my favorite part of this program is getting to know our Water Quality Stewards. Each comes to us with unique interests and perspectives that positively contribute to the program’s overall success. I am continuously inspired by their dedication to the community and the natural resources that we all benefit from.
Last fall, our stewards received much-deserved recognition as honorees for the Governor Cecil D. Andrus Volunteer of the Year Award. The award was jointly presented by the Andrus family, the Idaho Nonprofit Center, and Serve Idaho. This March, they were honored in person with the presentation of a beautiful trophy to honor their stewardship.
This season we are thrilled to have many of our past stewards returning, but we still need a few more! Join our group of award-winning volunteers, and give back to our waters by spending a few days this summer monitoring water quality on Lake Pend Oreille. Volunteer training sessions will be held on May 1st and May 8th. Attending a training is not a commitment to being a steward, so if you are interested we encourage you to attend, learn how the sampling works, and meet our returning volunteers. Sign up here to learn more!
This program is a crucial part of ICL’s broader North Idaho Lakes program, which focuses on protecting the waters of Idaho’s panhandle from degradation, pollution, and poor land use management. Sign up to receive bi-monthly North Idaho Lakes campaign updates!