A Citizen's Guide to Understanding and Monitoring Lakes and Streams
by
Joy P. Michaud *
Illustrations by Sandra Noel **

A Word from the Author

When I first decided to take up the study of fresh waters, I envisioned spending hours along the banks of scenic, gurgling brooks and north country lakes. Imagine now my first sampling event. A cheese factory’s waste system had failed and a huge quantity of waste had been released to a small creek. Our mission was to walk the length of the creek collecting dead fish carcasses, which we placed into large plastic bags and carried over our backs. Every half-mile we stopped to collect a water sample. The creek bottom and any protruding sticks or rocks were covered with long, gray strands of algae. The water itself was a milky-gray. It was a still, hot summer day and the odor of the rotting fish in combination with the algae added a quite unpleasant aspect to the occasion.

Since that day I’ve been on sampling expeditions to numerous lakes and streams. Yet, these many years later I still distinctly remember Scotch Creek. I remember its many curves, its few pools, and a particularly nice section where it flowed through a meadow and had neat, undercut, grassy banks perfectly designed for the needs and whims of brook trout.

The point is, not matter how many lakes or streams I sample or how spoiled their condition, I maintain a personal interest in each. Each had its own character and left a separate impression on my memory. This is one of the great untold benefits of monitoring – it is not an experience that should be saved for a select few professionals.

Don’t be put off by those of us who know the technical jargon and make it all sound incredibly complex and overwhelming. And don’t be frustrated by other people’s views of the value of your efforts. Lakes and streams belong to all of us, and we are all equally responsible for their protection.

* The text is copyright 1991 by Joy P. Michaud - Envirovision - Environmental Consulting Service - Olympia, Washington,
E-mail: joypm@envirovisioncorp.com
Telephone: (360) 754-1344
Fax: 360-754-7944

** The illustrations are copyright 1991 by Sandra Noel

Return to Table of Contents | Lakes-Chapter 2 | Streams-Chapter 3 | From the Field to the Lab | Hydrology