DNR Participates In National Lakes Survey

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ANNAPOLIS, MD – The water quality of four Maryland lakes will be sampled by Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) biologists as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Lakes Survey (NLS). The NLS helps governments and citizens assess the health of our nation’s lakes, take actions to prevent pollution, and evaluate the effectiveness of protection and restoration efforts.

The four Maryland lakes being assessed as part of the NLS include Lake Louise near Grantsville (Garrett County), Lake Habeeb in Rocky Gap State Park (Allegany County), Lake Kittamaqundi in Columbia (Howard County), and Johnson Pond near Salisbury (Wicomico County). In addition, DNR staff will sample a reference lake, Piney Run Reservoir near Eldersburg (Carroll County). DNR biologists will begin sampling on Wednesday, July 25, 2007. At each lake, biologists will measure temperature, dissolved oxygen, nutrients, chlorophyll a, water clarity, turbidity, and color. In addition, field crews will assess the condition of habitat along the shoreline and collect samples of phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthic macroinvertebrates and bacteria -- in addition to taking sediment cores from the lake bottoms.

Designed to estimate the percentage of lakes that are in good, fair, or poor condition, the NLS will serve as a scientific report card on America’s lakes. Biologists will evaluate a total of 909 lakes – representing five size classes and distributed relatively evenly across the lower 48 states. The U.S. EPA randomly selected the lakes using a statistical survey design. The U.S. EPA plans to issue a report on the NLS findings in 2009.

For more information visit, www.epa.gov/owow/lakes/lakessurvey.

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July 23, 2007

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 449,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov