The Valparaiso Chain of Lakes Watershed is a ～4.2 mi~2 watershed that consists of 10 lakes and multiple smaller ponds and the connecting waterways. Although the lakes share a common topography, use of the individual lakes and the surrounding land varies from commercial to natural. Forty sites throughout the watershed were tested for 15 water quality parameters to assess the current status of the lakes. Results were compared with data collected in 2005 and at various times in the 1970s and 1980s. Results were used to assess the effectiveness of recent restoration and preservation efforts at improving the overall water quality. In general, there has been modest but progressive improvement in the water quality within the watershed. However, several key components, including nitrates and salt concentrations, have not improved. This presentation will focus primarily on the factors responsible for the continued high levels of these chemical species in some lakes.
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