Citizen Science Observations by Bruce Sarty
Last updated Dec 4, 2022. Thx Bruce
Seasonal EC values for 3 sampling sites
EC (Electrical Conductivity) of four stream sites was monitored at approximately monthly intervals through 2019 and 2020, and continues.
A lake site was monitored on the same schedule beginning in 2020 and continues.
Results for the Lake, the Southern Inlet and the Northern Inlet in 2019 and 2020 are shown at right,
The Southern Inlet receives waters from several streams which merge at Murphy’s pit.
These streams drain settled areas in below and above Hammonds Plains Road and to the west in the vicinity of Gatehouse Run. The Northern Inlet receives water from Karen’s Brook (aka NW Brook) which drains a lightly settled area to the northwest of Sandy Lake.
Values for both inlets differed in absolute magnitude, but exhibited broadly similar seasonal patterns with distinct peaks in March and Oct of 2019 and July of 2020. The July peak suggests a significant portion of the salt is entering the streams via groundwater discharge (view Kelly et al., 2019). The lower lake values (top chart) in early winter months are likely associated with winter stratification/ice-melt, i.e. they are not representative of the lake as whole.
Original Field Observations
The Northern Inlet is “Karen’s Brook” in the table below. The Southern Inlet is Site 7.
LatestBSarty7May2020.xlsx
New Series. Lake and Karen’s Brook
Karen’s Brook (lake frozen) Mar 5, 2022
March 5, 2022: 167 at 3.1 C
March 6, 2022: 176 at 21 C
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Lake & Karen’s Brook Apr 3, 2022
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 11.6 (19.5)* 7.3 (19.2)
EC 206 (215) 148 (156)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook June 1, 2022
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 16.7 (19.5) 14.2. (19.2)
EC 233 (234) 152 (159)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook July 4, 2022
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 23.0 (26.8) 18.8 (26,3)
EC 218 (217) 144 (153)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook Aug 2, 2022
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 23.7 (23.3) 19.5 (23)
EC 218 (214) 152 (162)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook Sep 6, 2022
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 21.8 (22.9) 18.1 (22)
EC 230 (219) 192 (199)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook Oct 5, 2022
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 16.5 (21.6) 12.7 (21.5)
EC 212 (213) 185 (192)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook Nov 4, 2022
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 13.3 (22.2) 11.7 (22)
EC 201 (207) 134 (151)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook Dec 4, 2022
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 8.3 (20.1) 8 (20.2)
EC 144 (151) 105 (107)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook Jan 2, 2023
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 5.5 (20.7) 5.9 (20.9)
EC 129 (128) 113 (112)
“Lake still shows no signs of freezing”
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Lake & Karen’s Brook Jan 29, 2023
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 5.5 (22) 5.1 (21.6)
EC 96 (121) 97 (103)
“Lake still open ‘imagine it will freeze over on Friday [Feb 3]”
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Lake & Karen’s Brook Mar 2, 2023
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 4 (20.7) 3.6 (20.7)
EC 128 (135) 151 (159)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook Apr 3, 2023
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 9 (17.5) 8.3 (17.6)
EC 123 (139) 120 (132)
“The lake has been ice free since March 24”
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Lake & Karen’s Brook May 5, 2023
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 9.9 (17.7) 9.5 (17.9)
EC 188 (192) 122 (125)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook June 7, 2023
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 19.2 (21.2) 14.2 (21.6)
EC 195 (- ) 92 (97)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook July 7, 2023
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 22.4 (25.3) 19.1 (25.3)
EC 182 (212 ) 87 (93)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook Aug 2, 2023
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 23.5 (20.5) 19.8 (20.1)
EC 101 (98 ) 110 (114)
Note sudden drop in the lake EC.
There was excessive pptn July 21-22 and flooding; lake level went, reportedly 5-6ft higher
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*Values in brackets are after holding overnight at room temperature.
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Lake & Karen’s Brook Sep 6, 2023
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 22.2 (21.8) 20.8 (21.8)
EC 123 (126 ) 100 (105)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook Oct 2, 2023
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 17.5 (25.1) 15.2 (24.8)
EC 132 (135) 105 (115)
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“The heavy rains caused parts of the lake to fill with gravel, stones, and sand…[notably] at the outlet of Karen’s Brook”
Lake & Karen’s Brook Nov 1, 2023
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 12.1 (18.3) 11.1 (18.4)
EC 140 (140) 93 (93)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook Dec 5, 2023
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 7.3 (20.4) 4.9 (20.4)
EC 120 (139( 136 (146)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook Feb 4, 2024
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp Frozen 2.3 (21.3)
EC Frozen 131 (135)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook Mar 2, 2024
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 5 (22.2) 3.6 (21.9)
EC 128 (142) 117 (124)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook Apr 4, 2024
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 7.2 (23) 7.2 (22.9)
EC 159 (169) 104 (112)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook May 4, 2024
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 11.1 (21.8) 11.1 (21.3)
EC 162 (166) 122 (128)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook June 4, 2024
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 19 (19.2) 16.8 (19.5)
EC 163 (165) 119 (126)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook July 6, 2024
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 21.2 (21.9) 17.8 (22)
EC 209 (206) 133 (139)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook Aug 4, 2024
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 27.8 (24.5) 24.1 (24.5)
EC 179 (179) 150 (160)
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Lake & Karen’s Brook Sep 1, 2024
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 21.7 (23.7) 16.7 (23.7)
EC 182 (182) 160 (169
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Lake & Karen’s Brook Oct 2, 2024
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 18.9 (20.8) 14.3 (20.6)
EC 180 (180) 163 (175)
Lake & Karen’s Brook Nov 3, 2024
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 10.5 (21.2) 7.8 (21)
EC 177 (183) 172 (182)
Lake & Karen’s Brook Dec 4, 2024
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 4,5 (21.4) 4 (21.4)
EC 181 (175) 141 (155)
Lake & Karen’s Brook Jan 6, 2025
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 5.5 (21.7) 2.9 (21.8)
EC 178 (204) 138 (144)
Lake & Karen’s Brook Feb 3 2025
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp Frozen. 1.7 (22.8)
EC Frozen. 191 (197)
Lake froze over Jan 15, 2025
Lake & Karen’s Brook Mar 4, 2025
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp Frozen. 4 (21.4)
EC Frozen. 149 (155)
Ice out March 21, 2025.
Lake & Karen’s Brook Apr 4, 2025
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 8.2 (24.6) 6.3 (24.5)
EC 179 (176) 131 (143)
Lake & Karen’s Brook May 3, 2025
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 12.9 (20.7) 11.5 (20.4)
EC 240* (254) 143 (157)
* This value is a jump up from Apr 4, but values observed on April 11 when limnological profiles were conducted were in the vicinity of 240, so the low value on Apr 4, 2025 may be due to local runoff, rather than the high values repesenting a sudden influx of salt.
Lake & Karen’s Brook June 3, 2025
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 16.2 (21.6) 13 (21.6)
EC 230 (233) 153 (160)
Lake & Karen’s Brook July 2, 2025
Variable Lake Karen’s Brook
Temp 24.7 (28.1) 21.5 (28.2 )
EC 232 (254) 175 (182)