Lay Monitoring Program

panoramic view of lake

The Vermont Lay Monitoring Program (LMP) trains and equips volunteers (or Lay Monitors) to conduct periodic lake water quality sampling from their boat using quality-assured methods. Since the program's inception in 1979, the principal goals have remained the same:

Establish baseline water quality conditions in Vermont lakes during the summer recreation season.
Track long-term nutrient trends in Vermont lakes and assess monitoring data for compliance with Vermont Water Quality Standards.
Educate lakeshore homeowners and lake users about lake ecology and stewardship.

In total, more than 100 inland lakes and 40 Lake Champlain stations have been monitored by this dedicated group of citizen scientists, with support from the Department of Environmental Conservation and Lake Champlain Sea Grant (since 2021). We are grateful for their interest and commitment to better understanding the health of Vermont lakes and ponds.

What We Monitor and Why
How You Can Help, Including Report a Cyanobacteria Bloom
LMP Sampling Protocol, Site Location/Info, Depth Maps, Monitoring Forms, Quality Assurance Project Plan
LMP Secchi Depth & Water Sampling Webform (submit monitoring data online!)

LMP Lake Reports & Lake Score Card Reports
Download Lay Monitoring and Other Water Quality Data
Lakeshore Land Use/Land Cover Maps
Other Volunteer Monitoring Resources and Opportunities

LAKE ICE-OUT AND ICE-IN REPORTING WEBFORM (submit lake ice cover reports online!)
LAKE ICE-OUT AND ICE-IN REPORTING WEbmap (view lake ice cover reports online!)

What We Monitor and Why

Lay Monitors sample a lake at an established site from their boat for total phosphorus (nutrient) concentration, chlorophyll-a (algae and cyanobacteria) concentration, caffeine (wastewater indicator) concentration, and/or Secchi depth (water clarity) biweekly from June through August for a total of six sample days to calculate a summer average. Total phosphorus concentration is sampled to determine a lake's level of nutrient enrichment. Phosphorus feeds algae, cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), and aquatic plants (including nuisance and invasive plant populations). Chlorophyll-a is the green pigment in plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. The concentration of chlorophyll-a pigment in a lake is used to describe the amount of algae and cyanobacteria. Generally, lakes with higher phosphorus concentrations will have increased algae and cyanobacteria growth. Caffeine is a good indicator (or tracer) for domestic wastewater sources such as septic systems. Water transparency is measured by using a Secchi disk, an eight inch diameter disk painted with black and white quadrants. The disk is lowered into the lake by a rope, marked in meters, until it disappears from sight, which is the Secchi depth. Generally, water clarity decreases as chlorophyll-a concentration increases.

Why do we measure total phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, and water clarity? We are required by the U.S. Clean Water Act to track long-term nutrient enrichment and assess monitoring data following Vermont Water Quality Standards. Nutrient pollution is one of the most widespread environmental issues in lakes, which are typically limited in primary productivity (natural eutrophication) by phosphorus. Unnaturally high levels of phosphorus caused by human activity can result in excessive growth of algae, cyanobacteria, and aquatic plants while decreasing water clarity (cultural eutrophication). Additionally, nuisance algae and aquatic plant growth can interfere with boating, swimming, fishing and other recreational activities. As the excessive growth dies back each year it falls to the lake bottom, causing sediments to build up more rapidly while depleting oxygen during decomposition. When the natural habitat of a lake is altered, fish and wildlife populations using the lake may also change. Human activity along a lake's shoreline and in the watershed can accelerate the amount of phosphorus entering a lake. Sources of phosphorus include: shoreline erosion, fertilizer run-off, run-off from dirt roads, failing septic systems, agricultural runoff, residential runoff, erosion from logging, and erosion from construction.

All About Lakes - Vermont Lake Ecology

Getting To Know Shallow Lakes: Water Quality, Ecology, and Setting Realistic Expectations

Lake Watershed Action Plans

Restoring Vermont's Waters

How You Can Help, Including Report a Cyanobacteria Bloom

Water quality sampling equipment and training are provided by the Department of Environmental Conservation. The monitor supplies their time and a boat. For more information on volunteering, email Mark.Mitchell@partner.vermont.gov or call (802) 490-6126.

Vermont Cyanobacteria Bloom Report Form

Vermont Cyanobacteria (Blue-Green Algae) Monitors and Department of Health Cyanobacteria Tracker Map

Lake Score Card Checklist of Lake Protection Actions
This checklist provides guidance on actions that help protect Vermont lakes and is based on the Lake Score Card.

Lakeshores and Lake Wise

The Lake Wise Program is an Agency of Natural Resources initiative that awards lake-friendly shoreland property, including that of state parks, town beaches, private homes and businesses. The goal of Lake Wise is to establish a new normal, a new culture of lakeshore landscaping that is proven to help protect the lake. A property that earns the Lake Wise Award will represent a "model" shoreland property. The Lake Wise Award certifies a property is well managed, using shoreland Best Management Practices, and is maintained to care for the lake. View the Map of Lake Wise Participation.

Vermont Septic Smart

Report an Environmental Violation

If you observe or have knowledge of any activity that may be in violation of Vermont's Shoreland Protection Act, an unauthorized lake encroachment, or other lake-related violation, please report the violation to the Environmental Enforcement Office (you may remain anonymous).

LMP Sampling Protocol, Site Location/Info, Depth Maps, Monitoring Forms, Quality Assurance Project Plan

New! Modifying the Vermont Lay Monitoring Program to Improve Lake Assessment (2023): PDF | PowerPoint | YouTube Presentation

New! Vermont Lay Monitoring Program (LMP) Sampling Protocol (2023) and Sample Storage and Labelling Guide (2023)
Secchi Disk With View Tube/Scope Instructions (from Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program)
Secchi Disk Reading Simulator (from Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program)

New! 2023-2027 VT Lay Monitoring Program Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP)

Sampling Site Location/Info! Vermont Integrated Watershed Information System (IWIS): The VTDEC-Watershed Management Division’s new online data portal for water quality information. Here you can access sampling site information and chemistry data.

Updating! Depth Charts of Vermont Lakes and Ponds

Updated! LMP Secchi Depth & Water Sampling Webform (submit data online anytime!)

LMP Secchi Depth Monitoring Field Form (for volunteer records only - please use the Secchi Depth & Water Sampling Webform linked above to send data to DEC)

LMP Rain Gauge Monitoring Field Form (for volunteer records only - please use the Secchi Depth & Water Sampling Webform linked above to send data to DEC)

LMP Lake Reports & Lake Score Card Reports

New! Lake Score Card and Next Generation Lake Assessment Reports

2020 Vermont Lakes Lay Monitoring Program - Water Quality Report Card

For information on the Lake Score Card Trends+Status Reports, see How Lakes are Scored.

For additional Lake Champlain monitoring reports, see Lake Champlain Long-Term Monitoring Project.

For information on volunteer lake tributary monitoring, see LaRosa Partnership Program.

LMP REPORTS: INLAND LAKES (click here for Plant Lists)

LMP REPORTS: LAKE CHAMPLAIN

Weather Resources:
Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS.org) Records for Vermont
USGS National Water Information System: Mapper (stream gage sites with links to flow data)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Online Weather Data for Vermont:

Burlington Summer Mean Temperature

Past Lay Monitoring Program Annual Reports:

2015 Lay Monitoring Program Report (PDF, 156 MB)
2014 Lay Monitoring Program Report (PDF, 8 MB)
35 Year Vermont Lay Monitoring Program Report - Inland Lakes (1979-2013) (PDF, 8 MB)
35 Year Vermont Lay Monitoring Program Report - Lake Champlain (1979-2013) (PDF, 2 MB)
2012 Lay Monitoring Program Report - Lake Champlain 15 MB
2012 Lay Monitoring Program Report - Inland Lakes 8 MB

Download Lay Monitoring and Other Water Quality Data

Vermont Integrated Watershed Information System (IWIS): The VTDEC-Watershed Management Division’s new online data portal for water quality information. Here you can access water quality and chemistry testing information from throughout Vermont.

Lakeshore Land Use/Land Cover Maps

New! Vermont DEC Lakes Land Cover Maps

A lake's health is directly impacted by the land use and land cover (LULC) around the lakeshore. The maps below depict the LULC mapped within a 100-meter or 600-meter buffer zone of select lakes within the Lay Monitoring Program. These maps were created as an outreach tool and include layers from the Vermont Center for Geographic Information and the UVM Spatial Analysis Lab. For more information about this LULC layer, click here. For watershed LULC mapping tools, visit the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Atlas, Clean Water Roadmap (Lake Champlain Basin), or Model My Watershed.

Beebe Pond
Berlin Pond
Lake Bomoseen
Lake Carmi
Caspian Lake
Coles Pond
Curtis Pond
Lake Dunmore
East Long Pond
Echo Lake (Charleston)
Lake Eden
Lake Elmore
Lake Fairlee
Fosters Pond
Great Hosmer Pond
Harvey's Lake
Holland Pond
Indian Brook Reservoir
Lake Iroquois
Island Pond
Joes Pond (Danville)
Long Pond (Westmore)
Maidstone Lake
Lake Memphremagog
Miles Pond
Mirror Lake
Nelson Pond / Forest Lake (Calais)
Newark Pond
Lake Parker
Perch Pond (Benson)
Lake Rescue
Lake Salem
Seymour Lake
Shadow Lake (Glover)
Lake Willoughby
Woodbury Lake / Sabin Pond

Other Volunteer Monitoring Resources and Opportunities

Vermont Cyanobacteria (Blue-Green Algae) Monitors and Department of Health Cyanobacteria Tracker Map

Vermont Cyanobacteria Bloom Report Form

Vermont Department of Health Swim Water Testing for E. coli

Vermont Invasive Patrollers (VIPs) Program

Vermont Public Access Greeter Program

New! Vermont DEC Lake Ice Out/In Reporting Webform and Map Viewer (ArcGIS Survey123) and Vermont Lake Ice-Out and Ice-In Trends:
The Vermont DEC's Lakes and Ponds Management and Protection Program collects lake ice out/in data in order to track Vermont's changing climate and assist water quality monitoring efforts. Let us know when ice leaves and returns to your lake! For more information, contact Mark Mitchell (mark.mitchell@partner.vermont.gov).

LaRosa Partnership Program:
Since 2003, the LaRosa Partnership Program (LPP) has helped watershed organizations and monitoring groups across Vermont implement new and/or ongoing monitoring projects for surface waters in need of water quality assessment by helping to alleviate the financial burden of laboratory analysis costs. This testing allows community members to engage with their local streams and rivers firsthand, learn about water quality issues, and use water testing to identify where impacts are present.

Vermont Volunteer Surface Water Monitoring Guide

Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department Managing Human-Beaver Conflicts

Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program Field Guide to Aquatic Phenomena

Economic Value of Vermont Lakes and Ponds Fact Sheet 2022