Founded in 1998, the Lake Lanier Association (LLA) sponsors the Adopt A Lake program in partnership with the Georgia Lakes Society and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.
This hands-on program teaches its participants to monitor water quality by taking water samples from specific locations on the lake. The program gives a basic knowledge of watershed assessment and teaches volunteers to measure various parameters that help aid lake health and water quality.
The Lake Lanier Association's Adopt A Lake program currently has 16 volunteers who take water samples at 28 locations on Lake Lanier. Based on the lake's hydrology action, for testing purposes it is divided into 3 sections. Water samples are analyzed by American Proteins' laboratories in Cumming for chlorophyll a.
Chlorophyll a is used as an indicator of phytoplanton abundance which is related to natural cycles in nutrient availability and to the input of phosphate and nitrate. Excess phosphate and nitrate can come from groundwater or water treatments plants and sewer overflows (most sewage treatment plants do not remove nitrate and phosphate).
