Report on Lake Champlain or Inland Lake conditions by becoming a cyanobacteria monitor!
Monitoring requirements for the 2024 season are listed below followed by a sign-up form. They currently include COVID-19 safety protocols, as they may still be required at some sites during the season. To participate as a cyanobacteria volunteer monitor, individuals must:
- Have weekly access to a public or private lakeshore location. (LCC's top priority is to have public access sites monitored.)
- Attend an online training session (approximately two and a half hours for returning monitors, three hours for new monitors).
- Commit to reading the LCC weekly emails which provide ongoing guidance and support throughout the monitoring season. (They contain links to resources and information and photographs of conditions you may encounter to help you file accurate reports.)
- Agree to the protocols in the form below.
Training sessions are held online via Zoom and required for both new and veteran monitors to ensure we maintain a high standard for our community science volunteer monitoring program so that our data is taken seriously. Accurately assessing water conditions is like learning an instrument, it takes time and practice. Attending an annual training and reading the weekly emails are important parts of the practice of monitoring.
The 2024 reporting season will run from mid-June through mid-November. LCC is also happy to train people who can’t provide weekly reports but are interested in learning how to recognize cyanobacteria.
Establishing your site(s):
- Click here for the current Lake Champlain public site needs for the 2024 season. Note that this list will continue to be updated throughout the year. Inland lake site needs are not listed.
- Additional monitoring sites may be added during the season.
- Returning monitors may list the same site(s) they previously monitored.
- If you’d like to monitor a site not listed below, please provide the site details in the form. Priority will be given to public sites.