What Do We See When We Look at a Lake? Understanding Visitor Perceptions of Lake Water Quality
July 28, 2026
By Becky Forgrave, Research Scientist at the University of Minnesota Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, and the MSP LTER Surface Waters Team
Do lake visitors' perceptions of water quality match what the data actually shows? A multi-year study across Twin Cities lakes uses on-site chatbot surveys to find out, comparing what people perceive with other, quantitative water quality measurements. Learn about the study's initial findings and future plans in this piece from Becky Forgrave, a research scientist working on the project.
