There are 10 components to the Lake Sampling Kit. See below for descriptions.
Download sampling components checklist (pdf 56 kb)
1. Amber bottle (provided by RMBEL). This bottle is used to hold lake water for chlorophyll-a analysis. The reason the bottle is dark glass, is so that the algae in the lake water are not exposed to sunlight and able to photosynthesize and multiply.
2. Cooler (provided by RMBEL). Before each sampling date, volunteers are shipped a cooler to hold the water samples and ship them back to RMBEL for lab analysis.
3. Temperature blank (provided by RMBEL). This bottle is to be left in the cooler to monitor the temperature inside the cooler.
4. Smallmouth plastic bottle (provided by RMBEL). This bottle is used to hold water for Total Phosphorus analysis.
5. Sulfuric acid preservative (provided by RMBEL). This vial contains sulfuric acid to add to the smallmouth bottle (#4) used for Total Phosphorus analysis.
6. Integrated Sampler (must be purchased but then is the property of the sampling organization purchasing information). An integrated sampler is a 2-meter long tube used to take a water sample from the top 2-meters of the lake.
7. Secchi disk (is the property of the sampling organization) disks are free from the MPCA Citizens Lake Monitoring Program (CLMP@pca.state.mn.us, 800-657-3864) or http://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/clmp.html#signup.
8. Ice pack (provided by RMBEL). The ice pack is used to keep the cooler cold inside. Please remember to put your ice pack in your freezer so that it is cold for your sample date.
9. Sampling Field Procedures sheet (Field Sampling Procedures). This worksheet contains the instructions for field sampling.
10. Sample Data / Chain of Custody / Physical Observations sheet (Lakes Program Chain of Custody (pdf)). This worksheet is where you put your contact information and record physical observations on the sampling date.