Next Generation Lake Assessment
The Next Generation Lake Assessment (NGLA) is a comprehensive, quantitative survey of a lake's condition which typically takes place over a one-to-two-day period during the summer months. These assessments, which began in 2010, collect data on a suite of physical, chemical and biological parameters from three areas within a lake or pond: the deep open water ‘index site’, ten randomly distributed shoreland and littoral habitat sites, and the inlets and outlet (see figures 1 and 2 as well as the complete list of parameters below). This survey is intended to provide a snapshot of the lake’s water quality, aquatic habitat potential, and physical conditions which, when assessed along with longer-term trend data, provide an excellent understanding of a lake’s ability to support recreational and habitat uses and what the principal stressors to a lake’s water quality are.
The NGLA reports (see table below) are intended to be interactive reports that, by clicking on different features on screen, can provide the user with a comprehensive description of what’s going on in their lake.
| Parameter | Location(s) Measured |
|---|---|
| Total Hardness (mg/L), Regular Alkalinity (mg/L), Total Calcium (mg/L), Total Magnesium (mg/L), Total Potassium (mg/L) Total Sodium (mg/L), Turbidity (NTU), Chlorophyll a (ug/L), Secchi (M), Dissolved Organic Carbon and Sediment Diatom Taxonomy | Index site |
| Conductivity (uS/cm), Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L & % saturation), pH, Temperature (C), Total Nitrogen (mg/L), Total Phosphorus (ug/L)P, Total Chloride (mg/L) | Index site, Tributaries and Outlet |
| Physical habitat complexity, shallow water habitat, lakeshore habitat, lakeshore disturbance, embeddedness, shading | 10 random sites around the lake |
| Crayfish | 3 sites with good crayfish habitat |
| Area and depth of deltas, Aquatic plant and algae % cover, note three dominant macrophyte species | Tributaries |
