• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Earth Wise

A look at our changing environment.

  • Home
  • About Earth Wise
  • Where to Listen
  • All Articles
  • Show Search
Hide Search
You are here: Home / Air and Water / Mobile Apps Empower Citizen Science

Mobile Apps Empower Citizen Science

June 1, 2016 By WAMC WEB

https://earthwiseradio.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/EW-06-01-16-Lake-Observer.mp3

Citizen scientists play a vital role in raising awareness about the health of our nation’s freshwater resources. Their efforts can help document water clarity and track harmful algal blooms and other indicators of poor water quality instrumental to sound management.

Lake Observer is a mobile application that has streamlined the way research and citizen scientists record and share water quality data while working in the field. It is available, free of charge, for Android and Apple devices.

Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies ecologist Kathleen Weathers led the development of Lake Observer.

“GLEON – the Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network – is actually three networks.  It’s a network of lakes, of data, and people.  And it has about 600 people worldwide – mostly scientists and citizen scientists who are interested in understanding lake function – using data such as these collected with the app and using high-frequency data that monitor lakes 24/7, 365 days a year.  And this project was one of the projects of the GLEON members.”    

GLEON is partnering with the North American Lake Management Society to connect the Lake Observer APP with citizens that collect data on America’s lakes, streams, and estuaries. Each July, some 6,000 volunteers participate in the Secchi Dip In. Using a simple 8-inch metal disk on a cord – dubbed a Secchi Disk – they measure water transparency( an important water quality indicator). This year, participants will be able to record their findings with Lake Observer and, for the first time, results will be publicly available through the Water Quality Portal.

Now, more than ever, we need citizens that are engaged in the health of our freshwaters and tools that enable the sharing of water quality information.

**********

Web Extra

Full interview with Kathleen Weathers, an ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies

https://earthwiseradio.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Weathers_full_web.mp3

 

Web Links

Lake Observer

Photo, posted August 21, 2015, courtesy of Jackie via Flickr.

 

‘Lake Observer’ from Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio, with script contribution from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies.

Filed Under: Air and Water, Climate Change, Economy and Policy, Our Environment, Sustainable Living, Wildlife and Habitat Tagged With: algal blooms, awareness, Cary Institute, citizen science, citizen scientists, ecologist, ecosystem, environment, estuaries, freshwaters, gleon, Health, lake, lake observer, monitor, streams, water, water quality portal, water summit

Primary Sidebar

Recent Episodes

  • Sea Level Rise And Global Security | Earth Wise
  • Keeping The Keeling Curve Going | Earth Wise
  • Great Salt Lake In Danger | Earth Wise
  • Distributed Wind Energy | Earth Wise
  • Solar Power At Night | Earth Wise

WAMC Northeast Public Radio

WAMC/Northeast Public Radio is a regional public radio network serving parts of seven northeastern states (more...)

Copyright © 2023 ·