Chelan scientist Phil Long lauded for advancing health of Lake Chelan

Nate Hough-Snee, left, of Meadow Run Environmental and Lake Chelan Research Institute presented the award to Long at Washington Lakes Protection Association annual conference in Bellingham.

The director of the Lake Chelan Research Institute (LCRI), has received the Washington Lakes Protection Association’s (WALPA) 2026 Secchi Disk Award.

Chelan County Natural Resources Director Mike Kaputa nominated Dr. Phil Long for the award, citing his ability to unite scientists, community leaders, and volunteers around Lake Chelan research and protection.

Presented annually, the award recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the science, management, or protection of lakes in Washington or Idaho.

“Long has single-handedly brought together well-regarded scientists, local community leaders, and volunteers to advance the science and application of water-quality practices at Lake Chelan,” said Kaputa.

“Lake Chelan is a jewel of Washington and now has several related water-quality science and protection efforts in place, with many more to come because of Phil’s efforts,” Kaputa added.

Nate Hough-Snee of Meadow Run Environmental and LCRI presented the award to Long at WALPA’s annual conference in Bellingham. Hough-Snee described Long as the “hub of environmental research on Lake Chelan,” with connections to collaborators and colleagues who make otherwise-unlikely research and stewardship possible.

“I am humbled to receive this award when I consider the contributions of previous recipients,” Long said. “I am grateful to my colleagues; to organizations such as the Chelan County Public Utility District; and to the individuals who donate to LCRI or volunteer their time. Lake Chelan is vastly understudied compared with other highly valued lakes, including Flathead Lake in Montana and Lake Tahoe in California and Nevada. We are working to change that with growing support from individual donations and agency grants.”

Long earned a Bachelor of Science in geology from the University of Washington and a doctorate in geology from Stanford University. At two national laboratories, he conducted research ranging from the cooling histories of lava flows to the role of subsurface microbes in uranium remediation. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed literature, and his work has been cited more than 12,800 times. In 2016, he founded LCRI in collaboration with Kaputa and the Chelan County Natural Resources Department.