Check out this great video from Jeff Levesque on his routine for testing the water quality of the lake.
Sheepscot Lake’s water quality has been monitored since 1977. The best offense is a good defense in this regard so water clarity is tested using a Secchi disk & scope. Sheepscot is a golden colored lake with an average Secchi Disk Transparency of 16.1 ft.
A phosphorus surface grab test is done 3-4 times a year. The measure of total phosphorus averages 7 ppb (vs 12 ppb in other tested Maine lakes). The potential is low for phosphorus to leave the bottom sediments and become available to algae in the water column.
This is good news as phosphorus is a nutrient that feeds algae. Dissolved oxygen and water temperature are also monitored, the results of which tell us there is low dissolved oxygen depletion in the deep areas of the lake. This too is a good measure of a healthy lake.