The Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program, formed in 1971, is America’s longest standing and one of the largest citizen lake monitoring programs in the country. VLMP trains, certifies, and provides technical support to “citizen scientists” who gather data on the health of lakes and ponds throughout the state. More than 1,000 highly committed VLMP volunteers are keeping an eye on some 500 lakes in all 16 counties, providing the largest source of lake data in the state. The remarkable work of our volunteer monitors during the past four decades has saved Maine many millions of dollars.

The VLMP is a nonprofit organization that works closely with towns, lake and watershed associations, soil and water conservation districts, government agencies at all levels, educational and research institutions, and others to gather information that helps protect Maine’s exceptionally clear, clean lakes. Maine’s VLMP has been repeatedly cited as a national model of an effective public/private partnership.

VLMP volunteers are trained to monitor indicators of lake water quality and to screen lakes for invasive aquatic plants and animals, such as variable leaf milfoil. Many of the dozens of training workshops conducted by VLMP staff every summer take place on Lake Auburn — an ideal field laboratory for people who are learning how lakes function.

One very simple, quick, and inexpensive way to measure the health of a lake is by determining water clarity – the distance that one can see down into the lake from the surface. New volunteers are trained to make this measurement using a small black and white disk attached to a measuring tape. The disk is slowly lowered into the water while the volunteer looks through a “viewing scope,” a simple 6-inch plastic tube that works like a diver’s mask. When the disk disappears, the distance is recorded, along with ambient conditions like wind speed, cloud cover, and lake surface conditions.

The average “Secchi depth,” meaning water clarity, for Maine lakes ranges from only a few inches for lakes with high levels of algae (tiny aquatic plants) to well over 40 feet for a small handful of “gem lakes.” During our training workshops, many volunteers often comment on the excellent clarity of Lake Auburn, which is consistently “above average” when compared to other lakes throughout the state. For example, in 2010, the average water clarity for Lake Auburn was 7.3 meters (about 24 feet), which is very close to the historical average for the lake. The statewide average for Maine lakes in 2010 was 5.6 meters (about 18 feet).

We sometimes take for granted the fact that, compared to the rest of the country, Maine lakes are so clear. But they are under increasing pressure from a wide range of threats, the most pervasive of which is polluted runoff from watershed development. It’s no accident that Lake Auburn is sufficiently clear and clean to be used as a public water source. Conservation and stewardship are essential to maintaining the long-term health of our lakes and the resulting benefits that clean lakes provide for the public. Lake Auburn has protected this vital local source of drinking water thanks to strong public support.

This year marks the VLMP’s 40th anniversary – a historic milestone for citizen lake monitoring in the U.S. Many of our volunteers have been active for multiple decades, which by today’s standards of personal commitment is truly remarkable. On July 30, we will celebrate the success of the organization and the volunteer monitors who have made played such a key role in keeping Maine’s lakes and ponds clear and clean. Our 40th anniversary conference will take place at The Great Outdoors on Pleasant Pond in Turner.

If you are interested in learning more about the VLMP, or in becoming a volunteer lake monitor, please contact us at 207-783-7733, VLMP@mainevlmp.org, or visit us at www.mainevolunteerlakemonitors.org

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