Partner Research in South Mountain Lakes Helping to Shape Management

Researchers at Dickinson College are spearheading a collaborative research project to monitor the health and ecology of Laurel and Fuller lakes in Pine Grove Furnace State Park and Opossum Lake near Carlisle. Working with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Fish and Boat Commission, Dr. Kristin Strock and her research team are using sensors in each of the three lakes to capture high-resolution temperature and oxygen data outlining the conditions of the lake in various habitat zones. Sensory data will be recorded every hour throughout the summer and supplemented by biweekly monitoring of lake chemistry and biological communities in the lake, such as algae and zooplankton. “These lakes are important, heavily used resources in the South Mountain landscape,” said  Dr. Strock. “The results from this work will help us to understand and communicate how the lakes are functioning and how they might be changing over time.” The results will be shared with DCNR and the Fish and Boat Commission to provide information that can help shape management decisions moving forward.

Click here to read more about this project.