Lake monitors sought

Love to spend time on lakes? Interested in water quality?

The Northwest Montana Lakes Volunteer Monitoring Network is looking for lake property owners and/or homeowners, summer cabin owners, recreationists, and anyone interested in lakes to become volunteer monitors.

There are 40 lakes in the program.

Volunteers will receive training and equipment. However, most volunteers will need their own boats. Depending on the monitoring location, motorized and non-motorized boats may be used.

There are a few opportunities for volunteers who do not have access to a boat.

Training will be offered this spring and monitoring will begin late spring/early summer. Volunteers will be asked to monitor lakes twice per month, weather permitting, and will spend one day with Whitefish Lake Institute’s environmental scientist collecting water chemistry data.

Training dates are:

April 16 (Saturday) — 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., City Beach, Whitefish

April 22 (Friday) — 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wayfarers State Park, Bigfork

Dress appropriately in waterproof layers and bring pencil and paper for taking notes. Snacks and refreshments will be provided.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, or you know someone who is, contact Josh at the Whitefish Lake Institute at 862-4327, or send an email to josh@whitefishlake.org.

Founded in 2005, the Whitefish Lake Institute is a 501 (3)(c) nonprofit organization committed to acquiring scientific research, and to educating and engaging the local citizenry to protect the Whitefish area water resources of today, while providing a collective vision for tomorrow.