The Lights On Lake Are A Research Project

Bear Lake Watch with USGS Starts Lake Monitoring Study

Bear Lake Watch has partnered with the U.S. Geological Survey with funding from Utah and Idaho and PacifiCorp to initiate a five-year study on Bear Lake.  There is a need to begin monitoring limnological and weather conditions around Bear Lake.  Two scientific platforms were deployed by USGS and YSI were deployed last week.  One sampling point will remain consistent throughout the study period.  That platform is off North Eden in the deep part of the lake.  The other platform will be moved between five locations during the study to collect information on how different areas of the Lake vary.  Soon, real time data will be streamed to a website so you can check on conditions around the platforms.  They will be removed prior to ice formation and again be deployed the following spring.

There are expensive, delicate instruments on the platforms so the public needs to be aware of their location and avoid disturbing them.  There are long anchor lines so fishermen need to steer clear to avoid snagging lines.  They have lights at night for navigational purposes.   People onshore need to be aware of this so they don’t report them as distressed watercraft.

Bear Lake Watch is proud to be the leader in new research on Bear Lake.  Funds are generated by members and the Merlin Olsen Golf Tournament.   As the study develops, more information will be available.

Bryce Nielson