‘It starts with volunteers’: Making lakes healthier comes from teamwork and knowledge

Be it boating, fishing, strolling along the shore or just taking in the view, there are many reasons to enjoy the lakes in Lake County.

Members of Lake County Lake Lovers feel that way, too. But many of the 173 lakes in the county don’t meet water quality standards and are classified as impaired. The volunteer group is on a mission to help change that.

“A healthy lake is enjoyable to view, free of odor, supports recreation and healthy, diverse aquatic life,” says Becky Sawle, co-chair of the group that has experienced a jump in interest after a successful pilot program last year.

Often the culprit is high phosphorous that leads to summer algae blooms that can make a lake look like pea soup and use oxygen fish need to breathe.

The thick blanket also blocks sunlight and kills aquatic plants, may lead to conditions lethal to dogs, and can close swimming beaches and make it unsafe for people and animals to be near the water.

“We share the same problems throughout the county and we’re all trying to fix them,” explained Paul Spiewak, a retired analytical chemist and tech team lead from Mundelein.

Repairing an impaired lake is possible but involves a multipronged process with varying costs. But few lakes have formal written management plans, Spiewak said.

By equipping volunteers with the information and tools to make informed restoration decisions on their own lakes, Lake Lovers hopes collaboration among like-minded residents grows.

“We want everyone who cares to join and learn,” Sawle noted.

“I like to say lake work is a team sport,” she added. That team is growing.

Last year, volunteers trained to use donated professional-grade equipment in a pilot program to monitor water quality on 12 lakes from mid-April to mid-October.

This year, the number has jumped to 21 with volunteers taking to the water beginning April 19. The group this year received another piece of donated equipment valued at $10,000 to capture data in deeper lakes.

Lake County Lake Lovers is a working group under GlobalWaterWorks, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting communities with innovative water solutions.

Launched in 2022, the group has grown from about a dozen members to 500 engaged residents.

“An opportunity like this is really great for us because we don't have money for high-tech equipment,” said Alyssa Casey, who has lived in unincorporated Sylvan Lake in Fremont Township for five years. She’s on the homeowners association board with a focus on managing lake health.

“It allows us to know what to expect when certain challenges pop up rather than reacting,” she added.

On March 12, 45 lake lovers attended a two-hour orientation and hands-on training to use the equipment. Besides collecting data, tech team members will meet each month to share insights and review trends.

Collecting data and publishing it on public platforms shows how the living ecosystem of a lake is faring, Sawle said.

Data collected this year will be displayed on a Google Earth app to help lakes associations, municipalities, residents and professional lake managers make science-based decisions, Sawle said.

“We know there is no 'magic lake fairy' who flies over our lakes, taps her wand and fixes the challenges,” Sawle wrote in announcing the 2026 monitoring season.

“Yet this year, with 75% more lakes joining the program, we are building a powerful culture of intelligent lake stewardship married with community engagement,” she added. “It starts with volunteers who care for their local lake.”