Your Lakes Committee participates in a statewide program of water quality testing. This program, called the Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program (CLMP), is sponsored and administered by Michigan State University with grant assistance through the State of Michigan. This program has existed since the 70's, and has participation by several hundred lake associations in our state. Sugar Springs has been involved for many years, and we have participated in a number of state activities (conferences, online presentations, etc,). Comparative data gathered from year to year provides a profile of our lakes' health and how we compare to other lakes (both natural and impoundment} in our state.

Committee members are out on the lakes several times each month gathering water samples at various depths and testing for water clarity. Water temperatures and dissolved oxygen readings are taken at these various depths on both lakes, and changes over the course of the late spring/summer are noted. Water clarity is primarily affected by the amount of suspended algae and sediment in the water column. Algae are an important part of a healthy aquatic ecosystem, providing food for the lake's food web. Over the course of the summer's sunlight and heat, the algae bloom can become problematic to the lake's health. Your Lakes Committee works closely with PLM, our treatment vendor, in keeping algae and other plants, both native and invasive, within desirable parameters. It should be noted that there are a number of differences between our two lakes, with water clarity presently being a prime illustration.

The abundance of zebra mussels in Lake Lancer offers an example as to the effects (water clarity!} of invasive species on a lake's ecosystem, and how they can be introduced by watercraft through a less restrictive boat launch apparatus. Dissolved oxygen and water temperature typically diminishes at lower depths because of algal growth during the summer, as is borne out by increased chlorophyll (algae) concentrations in samples collected by committee members. Lower clarity allows less light, and therefore heat, to penetrate the water column. Oxygen produced by plants is less plentiful at lower depths, therefore impacting fish and invertebrate populations.

Another important sampling done by committee members is that of Phosphorus testing. These samples are taken twice during the testing season, once when the ice is first out in the spring and the second in mid September. Phosphorus is a naturally occurring element in the sediment, water, and biota of a lake. It is the most influential nutrient in our lakes. Some Michigan lakes naturally have more phosphorus than others. However, humans often introduce extra phosphorus into lakes via poorly maintained septic systems and lawn fertilizer. Because Sugar Springs is fortunate to have a well maintained sanitary sewer system, lawn fertilizer containing any amount of phosphorus in its mixture is problematic because it causes excessive plant proliferation and growth.