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Water Quality Testing & Lake Surveys
Water clarity, phosphorous, and chlorophyll-a are metrics of water quality
used to determine the productivity (“trophic state”) of a lake.
These metrics have remained consistent over the past 30 years on the Spider Chain of Lakes. All Spider Chain lakes are mesotrophic in their classification of biomass productivity with intermediate nutrient levels and only occasional algae blooms. Temperature and dissolved oxygen are also measured in the lakes. Lake surveys in the form of meandering studies and point intercept studies are supported by WDNR grants and SCLA funds and are completed every 5 to 7 years. A point intercept study includes raking a 2.5 square foot area of distributed points across each lake by a biologist - more than 1500 points in total for the Spider Lake chain. Each point is assessed for rake fullness and species found. Changes in the aquatic vegetation are then compared back to previous surveys. |
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Why is this program important?
Water quality influences the aquatic plant community, which can influence the chemistry of the lake. Measuring water quality over time provides a gauge on the trending health of the lakes. Changes may indicate a need for a change in behavior, or may be due to changes in weather or climate. Shoreline preservation/restoration, buffer zones, and minimizing fertilizer and runoff are all actions homeowners can take to preserve the water quality of the lakes.
Lake surveys are critical to measuring changes in aquatic plant make-up. In order for SCLA to remain grant eligible with the WDNR, point intercept surveys are required every 5-7 years.
Where does this program run?
Lake surveys cover the entire Spider Chain of Lakes. This program is a part of the activities of the AIS & Water Quality Committee. Water quality measurement and sampling is completed by an SCLA volunteer who is trained through the WDNR Citizen Lake Monitoring Network program.
When does this program run?
Water quality measurements are taken twice per month from May through October. Water samples are collected for the months of June through August.
Lake surveys target periods of the summer when invasive species are most prevalent, typically June through early August. Meandering surveys by a professional biologist are conducted annually on the Spider Chain and support monitoring and control efforts on existing invasives such as curly leaf pondweed (CLP) and yellow flag iris (YFI).
How does this program run?
Water testing runs as part of the statewide Citizen Lake Monitoring Network (CLMN). Water clarity is measured in all five of the lakes using a Secchi disk. Water samples are collected from Big and Little Spider lakes and sent to the UW-Madison lab. Temperature and dissolved oxygen profiles are collected in all but North Lake in 5 foot increments. All data is input into the WDNR database with annual reports available online for each lake.
Lake surveys are part of the “Spider Lakes Comprehensive Lake Management Plan (CLMP).” Volunteers on the SCLA AIS & Water Quality Committee manage grant writing and coordinate with a professional biologist to support this program.