LMVP Celebrates 30th Birthday

Community scientists, and representatives from the University of Missouri, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and the Missouri Department of Conservation met on Thursday, October 20 to celebrate 30 years of volunteer lake water quality monitoring in Missouri.

The Lakes of Missouri Volunteer Program (LMVP) began in 1992. Participants have since collected and processed over 18,000 water samples, all analyzed in the MU Limnology Lab at the University of Missouri. The LMVP now monitors 120 lake sites across the state up to 8 times each year for several water quality indicators including water clarity and algal toxins.

“What we have in Missouri is an impressive 30-year record of community-driven lake data that stands proudly alongside the best in the country,” said project manager Tony Thorpe.

Pat Market, director of the School of Natural Resources, gave opening remarks at the event. After dinner, attendants heard about the origins of LMVP from Jack Jones, Curators’ Professor Emeritus at MU’s School of Natural Resources and one of the LMVP’s founders. Robert Voss of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources spoke about the value of LMVP’s water quality data to the state of Missouri. Maryam Salehi, assistant professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at MU, spoke about the pervasiveness of plastics in the environment.

Following the presentations, volunteers and professionals had the opportunity to mingle and chat, connecting those who collect the water samples with those who use the data.

The event was held at Waves Cider Company and catered by Pizza Tree. See more pictures here

Frank Fillo and Lynn Fair (23-year LMVP volunteers) chat with program founders Jack Jones and Dan Obrecht.