The Metropolitan Council’s lake monitoring and assessment program gives us and our partners water quality data and information to help effectively manage the lakes of the region. The Citizen-Assisted Monitoring Program (CAMP) efficiently expands our regional coverage and addresses local priorities while engaging citizen scientists who advocate for water quality.
Both our lake program and CAMP generate data to determine lake water quality conditions and water quality trends. The data are also used to rank the lakes annually on an A – F grading system that allows the public to more easily visualize the water quality of a lake relative to other lakes in the region.
Local governments, researchers, and others use this information to inform decisions about projects and programs needed to protect or restore lake water quality. State agencies use the information to evaluate lake water quality conditions and ultimately to decide whether a lake is impaired or not. Lake monitoring information helps all stakeholders prioritize lake protection and restoration efforts.