Lakes of Missouri Volunteer Program (LMVP) and University of Missouri: Missouri Statewide Lake Assessment Data (MO-SLAP), 1978-2013

The Lakes of Missouri Volunteer Program (LMVP) is funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and coordinated by the School of Natural Resources at the University of Missouri. It was created in 1992 and began with four lakes in the Kansas City area. Since then about 200 volunteers have participated and water samples have been collected on over 50 different lakes around the state. The goals of the LMVP are: 1) to determine the current water quality based on productivity or trophic state of Missouri's lakes, 2) to monitor for changes in water quality over time, and 3) to educate the public about lake ecology and water quality issues. Volunteers take water samples to measure algae, nitrogen, phosphorus, inorganic suspended solids, and measure Secchi transparency in the field. Many lakes have several sample sites. The water samples are analyzed at the University of Missouri-Columbia, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife limnology laboratory. An annual data report is compiled containing the results of the data from all of the public lakes. This report is sent to all interested parties including the volunteers, government agencies and lake associations. The process starts in the spring when an LMVP staff and volunteer meet at the lake. The volunteer is given all of the equipment and trained by the staff on the proper collection and processing procedures.