Each summer local residents enjoy Utah’s many lakes and reservoirs for recreating, keeping cool and getting away. But it takes work to ensure that these water bodies are healthy and safe. The Utah State University Cooperative Extension Water Quality Program again needs the help of volunteers to monitor Utah water bodies this summer between the months of May and September. Nancy Mesner, USU Cooperative Extension water quality specialist, says thanks to volunteers from across the state, it has been possible to monitor Utah lakes and reservoirs since the summer of 2002.She says last year 13 lakes and reservoirs were monitored with the help of high school students, state park employees, teachers and other volunteers. Training is provided on-site and takes about an hour. This year citizen monitors are also being sought to monitor E-coli at high-traffic recreation lakes and reservoirs. Mesner says the data gathered will be extremely helpful to the state in determining lake and beach closures if needed. For more information call 797-2580.