Florida LAKEWATCH Connects Volunteers with Water Conservation

Florida LAKEWATCH is a citizen volunteer lake monitoring program that facilitates hands-on citizen participation in the management of Florida lakes, estuaries, rivers, and springs through monthly monitoring activities. The program is coordinated through UF/IFAS Extension and has been in operation since 1986. The data volunteers collect is used by scientists and environmental managers to track changes in water quality and can inform local management decisions.

What data does Florida LAKEWATCH collect and how is it used?

Data collected by the program includes water clarity, chlorophyll concentrations, and the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus. We naturally find these nutrients in our ecosystems, and they are important for plant growth. However, excess nutrients often enter the water through leaking septic systems or runoff of fertilizers, soil, grass clippings, and pet waste. High levels of nitrogen and phosphorus can lead to algal blooms, which in turn affects water clarity and can also lead to low oxygen levels in the water and fish kills.

Monitoring the levels of nutrients and the corresponding levels of chlorophyll and water clarity can help determine if a body of water is impaired and in need of management, or to follow recovery after management actions have been taken. The data is shared with state agencies, including the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, as well as local agencies. All data collected is public, and Florida LAKEWATCH produces public annual reports for each site. The data has also been used by many researchers and has contributed to over 70 scientific publications on topics from water chemistry to fish populations!

A man pours water from a jug into a cylindical tube as part of the water sampling process, with a lake as the backdrop — Florida LAKEWATCH provides the training and all supplies needed to collect water samples at each site. Photo of Mark Hoyer provided by UF/IFAS Extension.

The role of volunteers in Florida LAKEWATCH

Volunteers play a crucial role in the LAKEWATCH program by collecting monthly water samples via boat or kayak, filtering water for chlorophyll, and recording the water clarity and environmental conditions. Volunteers also drop off their samples at their local UF/IFAS Extension Office. Samples are then transferred to the LAKEWATCH lab in Gainesville where they are analyzed for chlorophyll and nutrients.

Both Flagler and Volusia Counties have a great representation in the Florida LAKEWATCH program. However, as of 2025 there are several lakes in both Volusia and Flagler Counties that are lacking water quality data and in need of volunteers. These lakes are:

Lake Daugharty (Volusia)
Lake Daytona (Volusia)
Lake Lindley (Volusia)
Lake Macy (Volusia)
Big Lake (Volusia)
Dead Lake (Flagler)
Gore Lake (Flagler)

Florida LAKEWATCH is looking for property owners, residents, users of these lakes that may be interested in joining the LAKEWATCH program. Volunteers must: have access to the lake, have access to a boat they can use on the water (power vessel, canoe, or kayak), be willing to complete 2-hour in person training session at your site, and volunteer once a month (approximately a one-hour time commitment) for at least two years. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact Jason “Mo” Bennett, Research Coordinator for Florida LAKEWATCH at jpb@ufl.edu or 352-273-3639 or fill out the form on the LAKEWATCH Volunteer page.