National Lake Blitz

2025 REGISTRATION

Turn your lake visits into lake stewardship this summer! Registration for the 2025 National Lake Blitz is now open (available in both English and French).

PROGRAM GOAL

Lakes in Canada face threats from habitat loss, invasive species, pollution, and climate impacts. The National Lake Blitz is an annual volunteer program with the goal of encouraging the widespread monitoring of lakes across Canada using simple tools so participants can gain a firsthand understanding of how climate and other impacts are affecting lake health and biodiversity. The program also aims to promote water literacy and provide people with the resources to be active stewards at their local lakes. 

Volunteers don’t need a science or technical background to participate. After signing up, each volunteer receives a series of guides on how to monitor their chosen lake, covering everything from data collection to data entry.

From May to September, volunteers monitor their lakes by photographing key elements such as invasive species and wildlife, while also recording water colour and shoreline conditions. They document any issues or concerns, helping us understand the overall health of the ecosystem. Throughout the season, the Lake Blitz Team offers ongoing support by offering guidance and resources to ensure a successful monitoring experience.

All the lake data collected is uploaded to an interactive Lake Blitz Observation Map. The data is also made available on two open access online platforms for sharing fresh water data: the Columbia Basin Water Hub and Datastream.

In the 2024 Lake Blitz season, 278 dedicated volunteers in 9 provinces and 2 territories actively monitored 220 lakes across the country. A total of 2,095 observations were recorded.

WHAT YOU NEED

• A camera or cellphone for taking photos.
• A cellphone or computer to upload your monitoring results.
• The iNaturalist app for recording and sharing observations.

DISCOVER MORE

Explore our volunteer page for a wealth of resources, including webinars, how-to videos, monthly newsletters, inspiring volunteer spotlights, and FAQs.

Check out the National Lake Blitz Years 1-3 Volunteer Monitoring Summary Report!

LAKE BIODIVERSITY PHOTO CHALLENGE

Over the past four Lake Blitz seasons, we’ve hosted the annual Lake Biodiversity Photo Challenge. This initiative celebrates the beauty of lakes across Canada and raises awareness around what’s threatening their incredible biodiversity, while also helping promote the National Lake Blitz program. Explore the winning photos and galleries from the past four seasons!

PROGRAM LEAD

The Lake Blitz is led by Kaite Martin. You can reach Kaite at lakeblitz@livinglakescanada.ca.

See Kaite's profile.