To the members of MA COLAP:

 

Our lakes provide recreation, drinking water, and habitat for a wide variety of aquatic animals and plants. Now is a great time to give thanks and enjoy all the services that our lakes offer. Not sure how to give back and celebrate Lake Appreciation Month? Check out some of the ideas below.

Our revamped e-newsletter is still in its infancy. We want to spread the word and feature more pictures, news, and events that are relevant to you. Do you have an event or picture that you want to share? Email us at [email protected] .

As President of MA COLAP, I want to hear more of what makes MA COLAP useful to you and what you want to see more of in the future. If you have any questions, concerns, or ideas regarding MA COLAP that you would like to share, please email me at  [email protected] .

Lastly, I would like to give a special thanks to Danielle Marini, who has been successfully steering MA COLAP for the last year. Danielle will be staying on as Vice President to help manage MA COLAP.

Thank you,

 

Melissa Lenker

Thank you to the attendees, presenters, and vendors that made our 2018 annual workshop a huge success! We could not have done it without you.

Weren't able to attend? Several of the presentations from the 2018 annual workshop are now available on our website.

Not sure how to celebrate? Here are some ideas:

1. Join the Secchi Dip-In 2018: Participate in the Secchi Dip-In by taking a transparency measurement one day during the month of July. Volunteer gathered transparency values are used to assess the transparency of lakes in the United States and Canada. For more information, see the Secchi Dip-In  webpage .

2. Download the BloomWatch App: Help the Environmental Protection Agency understand where and when cyanobacteria blooms occur using your smartphone. These blooms have the potential to produce toxins that can affect humans, pets, and our ecosystems. To download the app and learn more, visit the BloomWatch  webpage . 

3. Monitor Surface Water for MassDEP: Help the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection monitor our state's surface waters by joining their watershed volunteer monitoring effort. Data from volunteers helps support their efforts to assess surface waters, manage non-point sources of pollution and calculate total daily maximum loads (TMDLs). For more information, see the MassDEP Environmental Monitoring for Volunteers  webpage . 

4. Get Involved with Your Local Watershed Association: Contact your local watershed, lake or pond association to inquire about volunteer opportunities in your community. Start a volunteer lake monitoring program or arrange a lake clean-up.

For more ideas on how to get involved and celebrate lake appreciation month, see the North American Lake Management Society  webpage .

Harmful Algae Blooms (HAB) in our lakes and ponds consist of cyanobacteria or blue green algae that are capable of producing toxins that can pose risks to human and animal health. Along our coast lines, these blooms are often referred to as “red tide”. On June 11, there was a meeting held on Capitol Hill to review the latest innovations and improvements leading to the detection and prevention of these HAB’s. The meeting included efforts to identify and address the environmental, health, and economic impacts these harmful bacteria and algae produce.

For more information about HAB’s, visit the following sites:   

Apply to join our board! We are seeking energetic, passionate people to aid in our mission of protecting and preserving MA lakes.

We are currently looking to fill the position of Secretary. There are four board meetings a year and one annual workshop. Time commitment is expected to be between 10-40 hours annually. If you are interested, please send your resume and a letter detailing why you would like to become a board member to [email protected].

Do you have a lake or pond picture that you want to see on social media? Tag us or submit your picture to [email protected] and we will re-post or share. Be sure to include your name and the location of the picture.

Do you need help getting the word out about your lake association event? Email us at [email protected] with the details and we will help spread the word through Twitter , Facebook , and LinkedIn .