Water quality data collected by the Citizen-Led Environmental Observatory (CLEO) from multiple nearshore sites in Lake Lillinonah, Connecticut, USA, 2010-current

Included in this data package are water quality data from the Citizen-Led Environmental, a Observatory (CLEO) volunteer water quality monitoring program run by Friends of the Lake (FOTL) and Fairfield University at Lake Lillinonah, Connecticut, USA. The program has been operational since 2008 (data available 2010-current). Trained volunteer monitors collect data from dock locations across the lake on water temperature, Secchi disk depth, water color, presence of floating woody debris, recreation potential, trash, particle type and surface scum. Volunteers collect data between 3:00 and 7:00 PM three times per week from Memorial Day through Labor Day. In addition to the variables listed above, CLEO volunteers collect routine water samples on a biweekly basis, as well as any time there is a notable algal bloom. The routine samples are analyzed for nutrient (total nitrogen and total phosphorus) concentrations as well as concentrations of the cyanobacterial toxin microcystin. The blooms samples are analyzed for microcystin only. These data are available in EDI packages EDI568 (nutrients) and EDI569 (toxins).