The first is green, murky, and often too warm for a refreshing swim. Fish are almost non-existent. The second lake is clear, cool and abundant wildlife exists in and around it. Property values on the second lake are much higher than at the first. It s easy to see which lake you d choose the difference is water quality.
Water quality shapes the aesthetics and uses of a lake.
A clean, healthy lake will be more suitable for the recreational enjoyment of landowners and visitors as well as for wildlife. Water quality is important not only to our lives, but to the animal and plant species that depend on the lake s habitat. When lakes are tested regularly, biologists and volunteers can detect changes in water quality before they seriously impact the lake. Water quality information empowers communities to make informed planning and resource-protection decisions. To measure water quality, testing is necessary to gather information about trends and identify changes.