Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council Comprehensive Water Quality Monitoring Program lake chemistry, MI, intermittent years between 1987-2010

The Comprehensive Water Quality Monitoring Program was launched by Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council in 1987, with subsequent field data collection in 1992, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007, and 2010. Initially, physical and chemical data were collected on 10 lakes but the program has progressively expanded and, as of the 2010 field season, 143 samples were collected from 60 sites on 55 lakes and streams. Typically, data for nine parameters (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, clarity, total phosphorous, total nitrogen, nitrate-nitrogen, and chloride) are collected at the surface, middle and bottom of the water column in each water body. This highly-accurate water quality data for lakes and rivers in Northern Michigan, collected consistently for the last 20+ years, have been compiled into a single database that can be used by staff to evaluate aquatic ecosystem health, examine trends within or among water bodies, and identify specific problems.