CALA volunteers have been involved with the Lake Partner Program (LPP) water quality testing program for many years. The LPP is one the largest volunteer run and longest running program of this type in North America. This program involves more than 600 volunteers on over 550 lakes collecting water samples from designated locations from May to October each year. All water samples are submitted for analysis and are measured for nutrient concentrations (total phosphorus, calcium, and chloride) and the results are compiled to provide a data base of past and present water quality in Ontario.
This program demonstrates the effectiveness of volunteers and their contributions to Citizen Science as the data base provides a fount of information regarding water quality levels in Ontario lakes that would not have existed otherwise. For more details on this program, its history and impact, please see the LPP report prepared by FOCA.
