The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has released an online water quality monitoring tool for Deep Creek Lake.
Eyes on Deep Creek Lake is a new interactive feature on the department’s Eyes on the Bay page, and places the Garrett County lake’s comprehensive water quality data readily available to the public, said state DNR officials.
Visitors to the site can view monthly data such as dissolved oxygen, nutrient concentration and water temperature. Currently, data from nine cove stations and four sentinel deep water stations are available.
“This new tool will give residents and visitors to Deep Creek Lake easy access to conditions and insights into the state of water quality in the lake,” Resource Assessment Service Director Bruce Michael said. “We anticipate that additional information will be available as we develop new and more refined resources.”
Water quality conditions are impacted by natural influences such as droughts, seasonal variations and storms as well as other behaviors such as boating and development, said the DNR.
Deep Creek Lake is the largest inland body of water within Maryland. Like all of the state’s lakes, Deep Creek Lake is man-made and was created in 1925. The department has managed the lake property since 2000, providing public access via Deep Creek Lake State Park.
