The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency today announced its need for volunteers to monitor water quality in the state’s more than 12,000 lakes and more than 92,000 miles of streams and rivers.

The MPCA needs volunteers to measure water clarity in hundreds of streams — including 676 high-priority sites — and 2,857 lakes, then report back to the agency.

MPCA Citizen Water Monitoring volunteers do a simple water clarity test twice a month during the summer. Lake monitors boat to a designated spot to check water clarity. They perform their test from the streambank or from a bridge over the stream and the MPCA provides equipment and training. No prior experience is needed.

Data gathered by volunteers extends the agency’s reach and complements the MPCA’s intensive water monitoring around the state. In some cases, the information gathered by volunteers is the only monitoring done on a lake or stream.

To learn more and sign up, visit the MPCA’s Citizen Water Monitoring webpage, or call 651-296-6300 or 800-657-3864. Find out which bodies of water need volunteers with an interactive map. Download high-res images of MPCA water monitoring volunteers from the MPCA Flickr account.