The Northwest Montana Lakes Network is looking for lake property owners and water recreationists interested in becoming volunteer citizen scientists.  

There are currently 41 lakes in the program, and many need a volunteer to collect water quality data, monitor for aquatic invasive species and promote watershed stewardship in northwest Montana.  

Beaver Lake, Dollar Lake, Upper and Lower Stillwater Lake, Murray Lake, Murphy Lake, Bootjack Lake and Loon Lake are just a few of the lakes in the program that need volunteers. 

Volunteers will receive training and equipment to assist them in data collection and aquatic invasive species identification. However, volunteers will need their own boat, motorized or non-motorized, to reach a mid-lake sample site. Volunteers are the primary source of lake data and play a key stewardship role in their lake community.  

The spring training date is Thursday, April 24, from 5 to 7 p.m, at Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 1 headquarters, located at 490 North Meridian Road in Kalispell. 

This training is open to new and current volunteers and will include basic water quality sampling protocols as well as an aquatic invasive plant and animal identification session led by FWP AIS experts. Reply by April 19 to [email protected].  

Those interested in becoming a volunteer can contact the Whitefish Lake Institute at 406-862-4327 or email [email protected].