Farm Pond Water Depth Gauge

The Farm Pond Advisory Committee is excited to announce the installation of a lake depth gauge in Farm Pond in an effort to better understand how the volume of water in our lake is changing over time.

On July 2, 2023 the lake depth gauge was successfully installed in Farm Pond, adding to the growing network of monitoring instruments strategically positioned in lakes around the world and monitored by Lake Observations by Citizen Scientists (LOCSS). The LOCSS program, funded by NASA, aims to enhance our understanding of the factors that contribute to changes in lake volumes over time, including precipitation, water table height, evaporation, and more.

The program operates through a network of citizen scientists who report lake heights by reading simple lake gauges. Additionally, satellite imagery is employed to determine lake surface area. By combining data on changes in both lake height and surface area, researchers can gain insights into how the volume of water within Farm Pond and other lakes is evolving over time.

The overarching goal of the initiative is to explore the connections between lakes, their fluctuations, and the surrounding environment. The program seeks to address questions about regional and local influences on lake volume changes and their implications for ecosystems and lake users. With the participation of volunteers, the LOCSS program can collect a breadth of data that would be unattainable through conventional research methods.

The installation of the lake depth gauge in Farm Pond is a significant milestone for both our community and the larger scientific community. We're excited to be part of the LOCSS program and contribute to a better understanding of our local ecosystem.

Residents of Sherborn are encouraged to take part in this exciting citizen science initiative. By observing and reporting lake levels, community members can actively contribute to scientific research and environmental stewardship. For more information about the program, and to see all the other lakes participating, visit www.locss.org.

Here is the webpage for Farm Pond. You can see data, and even enter measurements here: https://www.locss.org/gauge/farm-pond

How can you help?

STEP ONE: Find the Depth Gauge

Walk down the path to the right, towards the beach. If you stand at the leftmost edit of the sandy shore, facing the water, and look to the left towards the Yacht Club area - about 5’ offshore, you will see a slim gauge partially submerged in the water.

The gauge has numbers on it that are in feet and hundreds of inches. These numbers are relative as we are measuring differences over time. The gauge location itself has been measured via GPS and its exact elevation is recorded within the project.

STEP TWO: Observe the Depth

Walk close to the gauge or use your cell phone’s camera to zoom in close. Note the depth of the water on the gauge, finding the number to the hundredth decimal point where the surface of the water to touches the gauge.

In the above image, the depth is 2.00 ft.

STEP THREE: Quality Check

Before reporting your depth, verify that the gauge is not tilted or shifted. Also, check that the level bubble mounted on the gauge is between the middle lines which indicates that the gauge is in the correct orientation. If the gauge is tilted or shifted or is not between the two middle lines, the depth should not be reported.

On the left, the bubble is in the correct position. On the right, the bubble has shifted, and the measurement should not be recorded.

STEP FOUR: USE YOUR CELL PHONE AND TEXT IN THE DEPTH!

You can view the historical measurements here.