SMLA Water Quality Monitoring Program Kicks Off 40th Year
SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE, VA – The Smith Mountain Lake Association (SMLA) is launching its 40th consecutive year of water quality monitoring, helping ensure that Smith Mountain Lake remains clean, safe, and enjoyable for everyone.
For four decades, this program has been conducted in partnership with Ferrum College to keep a pulse on lake water quality. The result is a powerful long-term record that tracks lake water quality and how it is aging.
More than 50 local volunteers will join Ferrum College environmental scientists and student interns to sample 84 locations across the lake throughout the summer.
The water quality monitoring program evaluates:
- Water clarity, an indicator of silt, algae, and other microscopic organisms suspended in the water
- Chlorophyll-a, a component of algae and serves as a measure of the quantity of algae growing in the water
- Phosphorus, a pollutant that can drive unwanted algae growth when levels get too high
This year, the program is expanding how it measures phosphorus, adding surface sampling to align with current state standards
Ferrum College scientists will also analyze:
- Bacteria levels at popular recreation spots
- Oxygen, temperature, and pH at various depths
- Algae species present in the water
From mid-May through August, the program will generate more than 1,000 data points. The data is shared publicly and used by state agencies to help protect the lake. Results are updated every two weeks, giving residents real-time insight into conditions across eight different sections of the lake.
All of it adds up to a clearer picture of the lake’s health—and what’s needed to protect it for the next 40 years.
This long-running effort is made possible through support from Appalachian Power, Bedford Water, Western Virginia Water Authority, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
The SMLA Water Quality Monitoring program kicks off on May 4 with refresher training for new and returning citizen volunteers. Over 50 SMLA volunteers team up with Ferrum College to take water quality measurements at 84 locations on the lake throughout the summer.
