LAWG is committed to sustaining a "healthy watershed that ensures water quality and riparian and wetland habitat for fish, wildlife, and native plants while recognizing the importance of people’s economic livelihood and quality of life.”
About
The Lake Almanor Watershed Group (LAWG), formerly known as the Almanor Basin Watershed Group (ABWAC), was created in 2005 by the Plumas County Board of Supervisors to address water quality, land use, and critical habitat issues in the Lake Almanor Basin and make policy recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. From 2005 to 2013, ABWAC served as an official advisory body to the Plumas County Board of Supervisors. The eleven volunteer ABWAC members worked closely with existing organizations, and provided recommendations to the county on a range of topics from overnight boat use on Lake Almanor to cloud-seeding. ABWAC created a Watershed Management Plan that was approved by the Plumas County Board of Supervisors in 2009 and is intended to guide all efforts by the ABWAC to protect water quality, critical habitat, and quality of life in the Lake Almanor Basin. Since 2009, ABWAC (now LAWG) raises money each year to hire an independent contractor to sample the lake. In September of 2013, the group decided to end their official relationship as an advisory body to the Plumas County Board of Supervisors. The group continues to pursue its mission to maintain and improve the health of the Lake Almanor watershed. Sierra Institute has been a part of LAWG since its origins in the early 2000s and provides watershed coordination for the group.
Activities
Water Quality Monitoring
The Lake Almanor Watershed Group (LAWG) conducts annual water quality monitoring of Lake Almanor and its tributaries. Performed in conjunction with the California Department of Water Resources, samples are collected and analyzed to explore important water quality parameters like dissolved oxygen, water temperature, nutrient content, and algal concentration, as well as certain important metals. Each year, LAWG hires an independent contractor, Dr. Gina Johnston from CSU Chico, to analyze these results and compile them into an annual report on the health of Lake Almanor. Annual Water Quality Reports can be viewed and downloaded from the Resources tab below.
Water Trails Map
The Almanor Basin Water Trails Map is a “non-profit” map, designed to promote low-impact recreation in the area and boost local economic opportunities. This is a project of the Mountain Meadows Conservancy. More information on the map can be found at almanortrails.org.
Online Event Series about Lake Almanor and the surrounding watershed.
Topics include:
- Forest and Watershed Management
- Landscape Conservation and Restoration
- Water Quality and Fisheries
- Community Vitality
For information about other Sierra Institute projects in the Almanor basin, check out this page.
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Resources
Glossary for Lake Almanor Reports
Current Year:
Table 1. Lake Almanor Physical Data
Table 2, Lake Almanor Phytoplankton, 2019
Table 3. Lake Almanor Zooplankton, 2019
Previous Years
Addenda:
Table 1. Lake Almanor Physical Data,
Table 2. Lake Almanor Phytoplankton
Table 3. Lake Almanor Zooplankton
Table 4a.Lake Almanor Chemical Results, May 2018
Table 4b.Lake Almanor Chemical Results, July 2018
Table 4c.Lake Almanor Chemical Results, September 2018
Table 4d.Lake Almanor Chemical Reservoir Results, Nov 2018
Table 4e.Lake Almanor Chemical Stream Results_Nov 2018
2008
2007