History of Monitoring Program

Volunteer monitoring has been taking place for 20 years on Woahink. In 2004 we received funding from the city and more volunteers involved on both lakes. The program has continued to develop through the past several years with more equipment and training from DEQ, Siuslaw Watershed Council, and Tenmile Lakes Monitoring Program.

The deep atlas sites on Lakes Woahink and Siltcoos

Measure of water clarity, surface at top of chart, lower data points indicate clearer water. range 9 to 35 ft, seasonal variations, spring blooms and  summer clarity.  

       Again surface at top of chart, range 4 to 12 1/2 ft, fall blooms indicated-characteristic of blue green algae, kicked off by warm, wind free fall days, then remain persistent through fall and even into winter as seen this year.

         Range 6 to 23 micro gm/L, 2005 and 2006 average 12, 2007 and '08 average 8.

Septic Maintenance Ordinance adopted early 2006, samples to new lab early 2007.  

We can't definitely attribute change to any one factor- but some problem septic systems have been taken care of, and the awareness of sensitivity of lakes has been greatly increased in the wake of the Moratorium adopted in May of 2006.  This culture of stewardship has continued as city has adopted the Phosphorus Reduction Ordinance and worked on the Erosion Control and Stormwater Management Ordinances as well as putting on the Festival of the Lakes the past three summers. Whatever the cause it does appear that we are seeing a positive trend here.

Siltcoos Total Phosphorus

    Range low 20's to over 90 micro gm/L.  We don't see a corresponding trend towards lower Total Phosphorus levels.

 Siltcoos watershed is much larger with vast majority outside of the city and more agricultural and timberland influences than Woahink watershed.

Incoming water from streams, not springs as in Woahink.

Both Lakes Total Phosphorus

     Shows contrast between total phosphorus levels of the two lakes.  EPA reference value for unimpaired water bodies.

Assessment project for Siltcoos now taking place under DEQ 319 grant should provide some information on nutrient inputs. Rich Miller, PSU Center for Lakes and Reservoirs, carrying out the project, will be here in next few weeks, and will be giving the WQC an update on the project.  Anyone interested in notification, please let us know.

Working toward a future.

Data on SWC Website 

     Graphs of our data such as these will be posted soon on the SWC website. We've been in the process of proofing the data for some time. Making sure the database is as accurate and complete as possible on 20 years of data has been a time consuming task.  Our data will also be part of the DEQ statewide database at some point.

The water monitors are also updating the Quality Assurance Project plan to make sure we are getting the most bang for our bucks.

Source Water Protection Grant 

In addition to DEQ grant we will be participating in another project that provides funding from DHS for algal bloom and toxin monitoring and developing an effective response to algal blooms.  Dunes City is a 'squeaky wheel' with various agencies lately. Now we're seeing some response. Other grant possibilities are coming up, agencies are coming to us with proposals.

Working with a number of agencies leverages our efforts and focuses a few of our tax dollars on our local issues.  It also provides oversight to our monitoring methods and helps ensure we produce useable data. 

• Our watersheds are not static systems.  It is essential that both old and new data be available to spot trends that may require action.  Long-term monitoring is somewhat like getting annual physical checkups from your doctor. It's not a good idea to stop after you've had a few.

• Continued monitoring is needed to assess the effectiveness of Ordinances or Best Management Practices as they are implemented. Implementing these measures involves imposing costs, and we need to be seeing how well they're working.

• Ongoing monitoring programs help to educate the public and to focus its attention on problems of current concern.  Data only becomes meaningful when it encompasses a useful body of information; as that set of information grows it is of ever greater value.

• Having a credible monitoring program in place makes grant funding much easier to secure.  We provide support to the activities of DEQ, DHS, and Center for Lakes and Reservoirs- and they provide us with oversight, training and equipment.

The lakes are the crown jewels of Dunes City.  One of these jewels has been tarnished lately but hopefully with ongoing monitoring and grant studies, which are made possible by many hard working volunteers and the support of the city, we can keep them polished up for the future.

Presented by Mark Chandler