Even in an unprecedented year, the summer season at the Experimental Lakes is being called a success.
Deputy Director Pauline Gerrard explains small field teams went out monthly to do lake sampling and monitor fish populations.
“We really wanted to keep our 52 year data set going, we didn’t want to loose this year of data. The teams were amazing and got the jobs done.”
While there was a smaller amount of research collected, Gerrard adds they met their goal to maintain long term monitoring.
Despite COVID-19 restrictions, this winter won’t look much different research wise.
Gerrard outlines what the winter season will look like.
“Small teams will go out for a week in January and a week in March and they’ll do a bunch of sampling under the ice. They’ll get the chemistry lab up and running to run all the samples. So we’ll be able to do that again this winter as normal, which is fantastic.”
Gerrard adds they’re also looking ahead to what the new year could look like with COVID-19.
There are hopes to purchase new equipment that would allow them to continue research safely.
“We’re looking at equipment that would help us do more with less people, so there’s less human contact and people having to work closely together. This is the giving season, I know it’s been a strange year but people can support.”
Gerrard adds this would upgrade their chemistry lab and the ability do more samples, than they have been able to do throughout the pandemic.
For more information, visit the Experimental Lakes Area website.
