What is VLMP?
In 1981, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency established the
Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program (VLMP) as an important and necessary
step to help protect Illinois’ lake resources. This is a win-win
program for both the Agency and the volunteers. This program provides
a service to the Agency by harnessing the time and talent of citizen
volunteers to help gather fundamental information on more Illinois’ inland
lakes than could otherwise be possible with existing staff. It also serves
its volunteers by providing an educational gateway for citizens to learn
more about factors that affect lake water quality. By learning more about
cause-and-effect relationships with their watershed and lake, volunteers
are more likely to take an active role in protecting their lake by encouraging
better lake management.
And better yet, the VLMP is FREE to its participants! All equipment,
training materials, training, shipping, sample analysis and paperwork
is provided at no cost to the volunteer. The only thing the volunteer
needs to provide is a boat with an anchor and enthusiasm!
Program Objectives
The objectives of the VLMP are to:
- Increase citizen knowledge and awareness of the factors that affect
lake water quality so they can better understand the relationship between
the lake and its watershed and make informed decisions.
- Encourage development and implementation of sound lake protection
and management plans.
- Develop local grass roots support for environmental programs and
foster cooperation among citizens, organizations and various units
of government.
- Provide historic data to help document water quality impacts and
support lake management decision-making.
- Provide a guide for the implementation of lake protection/restoration
and a framework for technical assistance for cooperative lake and watershed
management projects.
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