Walt Hessler: Citizen Scientist of Loon Lake

Walt and Patty Hessler have always loved life on the water. They spent years boating on freshwater lakes before they became full-time residents of Loon Lake. But it wasn’t until they moved there that Walt started asking a question: what’s actually going on beneath the surface?

As he developed an interest in water conservation, the monitoring aspect pulled him in fast. “I’ve always been interested in the mechanical side of everything,” he says.

From Curious Resident to TWF Vice President

Walt got his start with ULTRA— the Upper Lakes of the Tippecanoe River Association. The group no longer exists, but it put him in orbit with people already doing water quality work in the region. He signed up for Hoosier Riverwatch training, requested his own testing kit, and started sampling Loon Lake for nitrates, orthophosphate, dissolved oxygen, and more.

That work got him connected to The Watershed Foundation, and soon he was invited to “have a seat at the table,” as he put it.  Walt was happy for the opportunity to represent his lake at TWF. 

Today, he is highly invested: Walt sits on TWF’s Watershed Management Committee, Advocacy Committee, and Executive Committee, and serves as vice president of the board.

He also completed the Indiana Watershed Leadership Academy — “much like a college course,” he says — where he picked up the lesson that’s shaped how he manages his monitoring efforts: don’t do it all yourself. “It’s important to delegate and bring others in,” he says. “People understand it better, and they buy in once they get involved.” He’s watched it happen firsthand while recruiting volunteers on Loon Lake.

A Concept In Action 

Five years ago, that network was put to the test. A massive fish kill hit Loon Lake just before the Fourth of July.  When concern grew about the safety of the water, Walt coordinated the testing and obtained the results in time for the holiday weekend. Walt also coordinated with a local farmer who created a fish disposal site. He assisted in the cleanup along with many other lake leaders and volunteers. “The community came together,” he says. In the end, cleanup was successful, and the lake was safe. His efforts were recognized when Indiana Lakes Management Society (ILMS) named him Volunteer of the Year.

It’s the kind of moment that makes the notion click: “Citizen science means giving people enough information to become scientists,” he says.  Whether that commitment lasts a few hours, a day, or years. “No one is asking citizen scientists to be experts.” Once people try it, they start thinking about the water differently. “They get to be a piece of the puzzle,” he says. “Anyone can play a bigger role than they think.”

Even after years of experience and education, Walt doesn’t claim to have it figured out. “I’m still learning,” he says. “What I’ve learned over the years is that there’s a lot I don’t know.” He recalls a lesson he learned from Loon Lake: clear water isn’t automatically good water, and turbid (cloudy) water isn’t automatically bad.

“Maybe it’s because I live there and have such pride,” he admits, “but I view Loon Lake as a really healthy lake.”

Walt plans to keep monitoring the lake’s inlets— and he’s hoping to recruit more people so he can eventually pass the baton. For anyone curious about citizen science, he points to Snapshot Water Monitoring Day as the place to start. No science background required,  just a desire to learn and a passion for water quality.

Thank you, Walt, for you dedication to the Upper Tippecanoe River Watershed!