Volunteer monitoring began at Trout Lake in 1996 and continued through 2008, after which it was discontinued. The data indicated this lake was strongly colored and relatively high in primary productivity (borderline eutrophic) with good to fair water quality. Productivity decreased over time, with the trend moderately well correlated. Profile data showed thermal stratification was constant through summer, and sedimentary phosphorus release added significantly to deep water concentrations. Nitrogen to phosphorus ratios in the upper water were above 20:1, which generally favors other algal species over bluegreens.
Trout Lake has a street end public access from which boats can be launched, and residents should keep a close eye on aquatic plants growing nearshore to catch early infestations of aquatic noxious weeds.
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The average of these three TSI indicators during the growing season can be used to place lakes in one of three broad categories: <40 = oligotrophic (low productivity), 40 to 50 = mesotrophic (moderate productivity) >50 = eutrophic (highly productive).
