I have written several articles about the importance of monitoring the water quality of the lake.
- Water Quality Monitoring – The Advance Warning System
- Proactive Lake Monitoring
- Lakefront Property Values Tied to Water Clarity
As stated in these articles, LMEF has been monitoring for decades, both through paid consultants and through volunteers. We submit four lake samples to the IU Clean Lakes Program each summer but don’t get a report until the following spring. This is good information to have but to be proactive measurement data should be provided in real time.
Why Monitoring Matters
“Small efforts toward an established goal cost less than major improvements and are less likely to negatively impact non-targeted organisms and other aspects of the lake.”
North American Lakes Management Society
The Solution
Through a collaboration with Culver Academies and Marshall County Community Foundation Vonnegut Fund, in 2024 LMEF will be purchasing a data buoy for the lake. This buoy can house multiple sensors at multiple depths, providing comprehensive and real-time information.
We are in the process of deciding what data we want to collect and which sensors to attach to the buoy. The system can then transmit the data to the internet for access from any computer.
More Sensors = More Money!
- Wave height
- Wind Speed
- Water Temperature
- pH
- Phosphorus
- Nitrogen
- Chlorophyll-a and phycocyanin
- Above water and Underwater cameras
- Water clarity at multiple depths
Lake Maxinkuckee is a complex ecosystem with numerous inputs and outputs that impact water quality. Real-time monitoring will allow LMEF to stay abreast of ever-changing water quality and address potential issues before they develop into larger problems.
“Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion.”
~ W. Edwards Deming
Hi, I’m Debbie Palmer. I received a BS in Horticulture from Purdue University. Here at LMEF, I am responsible for outreach presentations, monitoring the lake and it’s wetlands, project manager for restoration and research projects, and act as a community resource for all things related to the well-being of Lake Maxinkuckee and its surrounding watershed. I completed Indiana Watershed Leadership Academy, volunteer with the Indiana Clean Lakes Program, Hoosier River Watch and Marshall County Lakes and Waters and serve as a Board Member for Indiana Lakes Management Society.
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