Results are in from The Watershed Foundation’s eighth annual Snapshot Water Monitoring Day.
The event, held each September, brings citizen scientists together to collect water samples and data from across the Tippecanoe River Watershed. That information provides an accurate, up-to-date “snapshot” of local water health, according to a news release from The Watershed Foundation.
“Snapshot Water Monitoring Day gives us a glimpse of the water quality in small ditches, creeks, streams and larger rivers across our watershed,” said Lyn Crighton, executive director of The Watershed Foundation. “Some years we learn what happens after a recent rain. This year we saw the impacts of an extended drought. Each year we learn more about how different land uses, farming practices, and lawn care practices affect water quality in our community.”
Community members can explore Snapshot data and maps at watershedfoundation.org/events/snapshot-day/
TWF shared a few key findings from this year’s event:
Drought impacted water quality in 2024.
In the weeks leading up to this year’s Snapshot Day, drought had spread across our region. Water levels at many monitoring sites were low, affecting critical water quality indicators. For example, at some sites with shallow, stagnant water, TWF found higher levels of phosphorus and nitrogen, nutrients which can trigger algae blooms and excess weed growth. Testing also found lower levels of dissolved oxygen. Too little dissolved oxygen can harm fish and other aquatic creatures. These and other water quality indicators showed how weather patterns can affect water quality.
Even with drought, TWF found good water quality in our region, overall.
This year’s Snapshot data paints a mostly positive picture of water health, even under drought conditions. Most of the water quality data captured at most of TWF’s monitoring sites falls within normal, healthy ranges.
However, the data did reveal several locations with pollution levels far beyond health and safety standards. For example, at two monitoring sites, TWF found large concentrations of nitrogen, a nutrient that can negatively impact lake health. At another site, testing data showed very high levels of E. coli bacteria, which can make humans sick.
When TWF finds problems like these, it takes action, working with partners like the Kosciusko County Health Department to identify possible causes of pollution and craft solutions.
Water quality affects human health and lake health, for better or worse, stated the release.
Water quality profoundly affects human health. High E. coli levels, for example, can make people sick, but not always. It depends on several factors, including how long a person was in the water and whether they swallowed some.
Water quality also matters for lake health, accoring to the release. Too much nitrogen and phosphorus in our water, for example, can feed excess weeds and algae, decrease dissolved oxygen, hurt aquatic habitats, and more. Over time, those changes can be devastating, ultimately speeding up eutrophication–the death of a lake.
Lakes aren’t so different from humans in that way, Crighton said. “If you eat junk food for years, eventually you’ll feel the consequences. Your health will decline. If we keep putting pollutants in our water, we’ll see the cumulative damage. Lake health will decline.”
The data collected on Snapshot Day can show where and how pollution on land is getting into our water. TWF uses that information to work with lake residents, farmers and other community partners to stop pollution on land, protecting human and lake health now and for the future.
Snapshot Water Monitoring Day is about community and connection, not just data.
“Snapshot Day is unique because it gets lake lovers directly involved in the work that will keep our lakes clean and usable for many generations to come,” said Caitlin Yoder, who coordinated the event. For the citizen scientists who participate, it's a chance to learn, have fun and make a meaningful difference for our local environment.
“My favorite part of the day is getting people involved and excited to learn about water quality,” said Crighton. “I love seeing the delight on their faces when they get back from sampling their stream sites and share their experiences in the watershed!”
The next event will take place on Sept. 18, 2025.
To volunteer, contact Caitlin Yoder at [email protected], call 574-834-3242, or visit watershedfoundation.org/events/snapshot-day/volunteer-on-snapshot-day/
To see full Snapshot results, visit watershedfoundation.org/events/snapshot-day/