In lakes, water levels tend to change due to precipitation and temperature. More precipitation mean higher water levels. On the contrary, higher temperature increases evaporation and reduces water levels. In Western Washington, most lakes follow a pretty stable pattern due to the stark differences between our wet and relatively cold winters and our hot and dry summers. As such, water levels are usually a lot higher in the winter than they are in the summer. But even if lakes are under similar climatic conditions, they do not respond in the same way. Some will be relatively more stable than others.
Our project aims to describe the different patterns in water levels in lakes of Western Washington and to understand why they differ. We also want to investigate the consequences of the fluctuations for the organisms living in the lake.
We will be using the data from the Lake Stewardship Volunteer Monitoring Program at King County. For at least some part of the last 20 years, nearly 60 lakes have been monitored for lake water quality, temperature as well as lake levels. The program is still active and volunteers are actively gathering data.
More information coming soon!
Our project aims to describe the different patterns in water levels in lakes of Western Washington and to understand why they differ. We also want to investigate the consequences of the fluctuations for the organisms living in the lake.
We will be using the data from the Lake Stewardship Volunteer Monitoring Program at King County. For at least some part of the last 20 years, nearly 60 lakes have been monitored for lake water quality, temperature as well as lake levels. The program is still active and volunteers are actively gathering data.
More information coming soon!