FBE, with the help of Kezar Lake Watershed Association (KLWA) volunteers, has conducted annual lake monitoring at the three basins of Kezar Lake and six hydrologically-connected ponds since 2008. At the deep spot of each waterbody, FBE collects temperature and dissolved oxygen profiles, Secchi disk transparency readings, and integrated epilimnetic cores for total phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, total alkalinity, pH, and color. FBE also deploys a buoy with a string of Onset HOBO® dissolved oxygen and/or temperature loggers at the upper and lower bays of Kezar Lake. Deployed depths equate to critical layers in the water column, which becomes thermally stratified in summer at the upper basin. For tributary monitoring, two sites (Great and Boulder brooks) are sampled for dissolved oxygen, temperature, total phosphorus, pH, and E. coli. FBE also monitors water temperature and/or water level using Onset HOBO® loggers at the lower basin, Kezar outlet stream, and seven tributaries to Kezar Lake: Beaver, Boulder, Bradley, Coffin, Great, Long Meadow, and Sucker brooks. Water level loggers are deployed in FBE-designed stilling wells secured to staff gauges for consistent water level readings. FBE conducts annual flow monitoring to establish a stage-discharge rating curve at three of the four stage monitoring sites.
