Volunteers sought for FBC Lake Monitoring Program
Area residents concerned about water quality issues on local lakes can make an important contribution to the community by becoming Flathead Basin Commission volunteer monitors.
Since 1992, the FBC has trained, equipped and supported over 100 local volunteers who have collected thousands of data reports at sites on over three dozen area lakes. This year, additional volunteers are needed to take over monitoring activities on a number of area lakes, including Skyles, Blaine, Flathead, Upper Stillwater and others. Anyone interested who lives on an area lake and would like to become involved in the program should contact the FBC. Additional volunteers can be used on almost all lakes currently served by the program.
After a brief training session, volunteers are expected to conduct routine monitoring activities at least twice a month throughout late spring, summer and early fall months. Volunteers need to have their own boat, but will be provided with other equipment.
Data collected by volunteer monitors is public information, and may be requested by anyone interested in water quality data on a particular lake. The FBC routinely shares such information with agencies and educational institutions.
The need for additional water quality monitors is ongoing. New volunteers are always welcome. Those interested in the program are urged to contact the FBC at 752–0081.
This monitoring plan is intended to provide a framework for determining long-term base-line conditions and changes in water quality (i.e, physical, chemical and biological) of the Flathead River Basin. The Flathead Basin Commission (FBC) is responsible for ensuring that data on water quality, water supply, and bio-physical condition are collected for making an evaluation of conditions and trends within the Basin. The statutory purpose and duties of the FBC for monitoring are:
“The purpose of the Flathead Basin Commission is to protect the existing high quality of the Flathead Lake aquatic environment; the waters that flow into, out of, or are tributary to the lake; and the natural resources and environment of the Flathead Basin.” MCA 75-7-302
Duties of the Commission are:
(1) To monitor the existing condition of natural resources in the basin and coordinate development of an annual monitoring plan. This plan must involve a cooperative strategy among all land and water management agencies within the Flathead basin and identify proposed and needed monitoring, which emphasizes but is not limited to the aquatic resources of the Flathead basin.
(2) To encourage close cooperation and coordination between federal, state, provincial, tribal, and local resource managers for establishment of compatible resource development standards, comprehensive monitoring, and data collection and interpretation; MCA 75-7-304
(3) To encourage and work for international cooperation and coordination between the state of Montana and the Province of British Columbia concerning the undertaking of natural resource monitoring and use of consistent standards for management of resource development activities throughout the transboundary North Fork Flathead River drainage portion of the Flathead basin.
