Last week the Deep Creek Lake Property Owner’s Association Board of Directors held a Special Meeting to consider making a one-time contribution to the Deep Creek Watershed Foundation to allow the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to purchase an additional Water Quality Meter for the Lake. Your Board unanimously approved the expenditure.
The purchase at this time allowed us to take advantage of a volume discount based on additional purchases funded by the Foundation. The discount allowed us to fund the purchase in the amount of approximately $15,000. The Foundation is funding the purchase of four meters which will bring the number of permanent meters in the lake to eight. The ultimate goal of DNR is to have a meter in every cove.
The meters measure water temperature, salinity, conductivity, pH, depth, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and chlorophyll (which is a measure of algal biomass). The permanent placement of the meters will allow continuous rather than “snapshot” monitoring of water quality.
As explained on the Foundation Website, “continuous monitoring of water quality at Deep Creek Lake is a vital project. Without more sensors, information received will be limited. The sensors will allow for a baseline to be established that will indicate if there are changes in water quality in the future. The ability to place a sensor in each cove, or at a minimum several coves, will allow for a complete picture of water quality in all areas of the watershed and lake.
To best measure various parameters of Water Quality in DCL, DNR uses Water Quality Meters throughout the lake on a continuing basis under all conditions. These meters are used in the Chesapeake Bay, Lake Tahoe, the Great Lakes and a variety of locations around the world.
High quality clean water provides:
- Protection of property values and investments for you and your family for many years to come.
- Carefree swimming, boating, water-skiing, and more.
- Healthy habitats for a wide variety of fish and other aquatic creatures.
- A clean lake for residents and visitors alike to enjoy which, in turn, supports Garrett County’s reputation as a great place to visit and live.”
Your Board of Directors believes that this expenditure will help provide an important step forward in ensuring ongoing lake water quality which is essential to the long-term viability of our lake.
More detailed information can be found at the DNR website “Eyes on Deep Creek Lake” – http://eyesonthebay.dnr.maryland.gov/dcl/deepcreeklake.cfm
There is also detail available on the Deep Creek Watershed Foundation site which includes a PowerPoint presentation to the Foundation Board in April of 2020 entitled “DNR’s Continuous Water Quality Monitoring Project at Deep Creek Lake” by DNR Biologists Julie Bortz and Christine King, see – https://www.deepcreekwatershedfoundation.org/water-quality-testing
