Physical Aspects of Lakes

1. Reservoirs vs. Dams
2. Windrows and Scumlines on the lake surface
3. Internal Waves
4. Turnover and Stratification
5. Lake Foam

Algae
Algae are a diverse group of aquatic organisms that can be microscopic, or in the case of kelp, more than 50 feet long. Some algae are attached to rocks or other submerged structures. This is the slippery green stuff most people call “moss.” Other algae live free-floating in the water, and many species can even “swim.”

Algae, like plants, create their own food through photosynthesis, the process by which the sun’s energy is captured by the pigment chlorophyll and used to combine carbon dioxide and water to form simple sugars. The algae can later break the sugar molecules apart, releasing the stored chemical energy for growth and reproduction. Other organisms are also welcome to those sugars; all they have to do is eat the algae.

1. Algae and Zooplankton throughout the year
2. Law of the minimums (limiting algae)

1. Phosphorus in Dishwashing Detergents
2. Phosphorus from the lake sediments

1. Using fish to control algae
2. Farming for fish
3. Carp and their effect on water quality

Bacteria

1. Coliform Bacteria
2. One important source of fecal coliform bacteria - pet waste

Other Lake Issues

1. Urban Stormwater
2. Other pollutants
3. Organisms that live in the surface tension
4. Sample timing - why every 3 weeks?
5. A case study of 3 lakes, sampled over 100 consecutive days

Effects of Introduced Species

1. General effects of introduced species
2. Zebra Mussels
3. Asian species