Water Quality Assessments

Assessed through a interagency partnership with MPCA's Water Monitoring Section

Parameters assessed in each sentinel lake and available through MPCA's Environmental Data Access application:

  • Temperature and Dissolved Oxygen

  • Conductivity

  • pH

  • Phytoplankton*

  • Total Phosphorus

  • Nitrogen parameters

  • Chlorophyll a

  • Secchi depth

  • Pheophytin

  • Total Suspended Solids

  • Total Suspended Volatiles

  • Color

  • Alkalinity

  • Chloride

  • Dissolved Organic Carbon

  • Calcium

  • Magnesium

  • Sodium

  • Sulfate

  • Good Growth Habitat Volume**

  • Temperature at Dissolved Oxygen levels of 3 mg/L**

DNR employee collecting a water sample from a lake

*Data not online but available at request, please contact PCA Research Scientist Steve Heiskary ([email protected]) for specific inquiries regarding sentinel lake water quality monitoring

**Indicators of thermal habitat quantity and quality derived from Temperature-Dissolved Oxygen profiles.  For more information contact DNR Habitat Research Supervisor Peter Jacobson ([email protected])

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