NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) Watershed Management Bureau Biology Section: Volunteer Lake Assessment Program (VLAP) Environmental Monitoring data, 1995-2014

The New Hampshire Volunteer Lake Assessment Program was initiated in 1985 in response to an
expressed desire of lake associations to be involved in lake protection and watershed
management. VLAP is a cooperative program between volunteer monitors and the DES which leads to
local awareness of land use and human practices that may be detrimental to lake quality and also
empowers communities in their decision-making regarding lake management issues. The three major
partners are the NHDES Biology Section, numerous volunteer monitors located throughout the
state, and the VLAP satellite laboratories. Sara Steiner, NHDES VLAP Coordinator (who reports
directly to Jody Connor, the Limnology Center Director and VLAP Program Manager), has the
overall responsibility for training the volunteer monitors throughout the state in sample
collection and watershed monitoring, conducting annual site visits and training interns to
conduct annual site visits. NHDES and the volunteer monitors will collect samples from their
lake/pond and its watershed, and will then bring samples to the NHDES Limnology Center, the Lake
Sunapee Region Laboratory at Colby Sawyer College in New London, or the Environmental Research
Laboratory at Plymouth State University in Plymouth. The purpose of VLAP is to assess the
chemical and biological characteristics of the lakes and ponds throughout the state to determine
overall health of the system. Environmental results are measured by making comparisons to
established means and ranges of water quality for the state of New Hampshire. Chemical,
biological, and physical parameters are measured and compared to lakes throughout the state.
This data is provided to NHDES and the volunteer monitors. The data is used by the NHDES for
assessment, education, and reporting purposes. The data are used by the volunteer monitors for
educational purposes and for guiding local lake management activities. Volunteers collect water
at least once per month during the summer (June – August) following established quality
assurance and quality control guidelines.