Purpose
Report on the
condition of the
Nation's lakes,
ponds, and
reservoirs.
Help build state
capacity for
monitoring and
assessment.
Promote
collaboration
across
jurisdictional
boundaries in
the assessment
of water quality.
l/ie Nolio""1
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Distribution of lakes in the Lakes Survey
Survey of the Nation's Lakes
Fact Sheet
What is the Survey of the Nation's Lakes?
The Survey of the Nation's Lakes is a statistical survey of the condition of our Nation's lakes,
ponds, and reservoirs. The Lakes Survey is designed to:
• Determine regional and national ecological integrity, trophic status, and recreational
value of lakes.
• Promote collaboration across jurisdictional boundaries.
• Build state and tribal capacity for monitoring and analyses.
• Achieve a robust, statistically-valid set of lake data for better management.
• Develop baseline information to evaluate progress.
This is one of a series of water surveys being conducted by states, tribes, the U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency, and other partners. In addition to lakes, partners will also study
coastal waters, wadeable streams, rivers, and wetlands in a revolving sequence. The pur-
pose of these surveys is to generate statistically-valid and environmentally relevant reports
on the condition of the Nation's water resources.
What is the goal of the Lakes Survey?
The goal of the Lakes Survey is to address two key questions about the quality of the Na-
tion's lakes, ponds, and reservoirs:
• What percent of the Nation's lakes are in good, fair, and poor condition for key
indicators of trophic state, ecological health, and recreation?
• What is the relative importance of key stressors such as nutrients and pathogens?
The sampling design for this survey is a probability-based network which will provide statisti-
cally-valid estimates of the condition of all lakes with known confidence. It is designed using
modern survey techniques. Sample sites are selected at random to represent the condition
of all lakes across each region.
What lakes are included in
the Lakes Survey?
A total of 909 lakes are included in the Lakes
Survey. The sample set is comprised of natural
and man-made freshwater lakes, ponds, and res-
ervoirs greater than 10 acres and at least one
meter in depth located in the conterminous United
States. The survey does not include the Great
Lakes, the Great Salt Lake, natural saline sys-
tems, or treatment and disposal ponds. In order
to examine potential trends in water quality, a
representative subset of lakes from EPA's 1972
National Eutrophication Survey (NES) is included.
Lakes were selected to represent five size class cat-
egories as well as to provide relatively even spatial
distribution across the lower 48 states.
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What parameters will be measured?
The parameters measured in the Lakes Survey will be used to evaluate the ecological condition, trophic state, and
recreational potential of lakes. The sampling will occur using consistent procedures at all sites to ensure that the
results can be compared across the country.
Key indicators to be measured include:
Trophic Indicators
• In situ temperature and dissolved oxygen profiles
• Water chemical quality and nutrient concentrations
• Chlorophyll a, Secchi disk depth, turbidity, and color
Ecological Integrity Indicators
• Sediment diatoms
• Phytoplankton
• Zooplankton
• Shoreline physical habitat conditions
• Macroinvertebrates
Recreational Indicators
• Pathogen indicator (enterococci)
• Algal toxin (microcystins)
• Sediment mercury
What is the schedule for the Lakes Survey?
The time line below lists the major phases of the Lakes Survey and the year they will be accomplished.
Activities
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Design Field Lab/Data Report Research
Target population
Indicators
Field/lab practices
Quality assurance plan
Training
Site reconnaissance
Sample collection
Field quality assurance
Lab analysis
Lab quality assurance
Data entry
Data quality assurance
Data analysis
Presentations
Peer review
Final report
Scientific issues
Policy issues
Supplemental data analysis
Methods refinement
For more information visit: www.epa.gov/owow/lakes/lakessurvey/
or email us at lakessurvey@epa.gov
Monitoring Branch (4503T)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20460
EPA 841-F-06-006
November 2006
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