Unless things change, the sun may be setting on Waldo Lake's pristine water quality. In fact, Waldo Lake rates as one of the cleanest lakes in the world. He says it's like looking at 6,000 acres of distilled water. But the very purity of the lake's water puts it at risk for changes in water quality. And Bates and other scientists have noted changes.
Nutrient levels are still low, but they're creeping upwards.
And the lake's resident phytoplankton and zooplankton communities are changing, too. Any number of factors could be causing the changes. Air pollution in rainwater could be a factor. Natural events, like a local wildfire in 1996, could be partly responsible. And more people are visiting Waldo Lake and the Willamette Valley.