Yippee! Summer is just around the corner and it is time to test the water! Free training and refresher workshops for volunteers will be held at the Waitt Lab at Iowa Lakeside Laboratory at the following dates and times:  Saturday, May 26 from 10:00 to noon or from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm; or Tuesday, May 29 from 10:00 am to noon or from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.

Register today by contacting Jane Shuttleworth at 337-3669 ext. 7, or by email at jane-shuttleworth@uiowa.edu

Secchi Disk training

To all CLAMP volunteers and others who are interested...check out the link below!  It is from the Maine lake volunteer monitoring website.  It is a really cool way to test your skills at using a Secchi disk for measuring water clarity on different lakes.  Instructions are pretty easy to follow and should be a good way to practice for later this summer.  Good luck!

http://www.mainevolunteerlakemonitors.org/recertify/disk.php

Little Miller's Bay

The dock is in at Lakeside.  What a GREAT day!

Final 2011 Results and Graphs

The thirteenth year of CLAMP is in the books.  Thanks to all for the great year!

Check out the new data display for each collection site.  Graphs and raw data of 2011 water monitoring results can now be seen when you click on collection site balloons and hot link.  Hope everyone likes this feature.  Historical data for each site will also be added at a later date.  This will allow everyone to see long term trends in water clarity, nutrient levels, and algae abundance.

End of August Results

Most of the results are available for the end of August sampling.

West Okoboji continues to show low levels of nutrients and algae, whereas the north end of Big Spirit and East Okoboji had increases. As the beginning of September rolls in, volunteers will be out collecting the last of the water samples for the CLAMP project.

CLAMP Picnic

After a sumptious dinner of BBQ pork, sides , salads and dessert Dennis Heimdal gave a presentation of some of the 2011 season data. We pondered variations in data from last year to this, and in this photo Jane Leib is showing possible soil erosion path and P sources into East Okoboji.

13th Annual CLAMP Picnic!

The food and the data interpretation were GREAT at the 13th Annual Thank YOu CLAMP Volunteer Picnic at Lakeside Lab! Thank you CLAMPologists!