IJC Recommends Plan of Study for Lake Champlain-Richelieu Flood Mitigation

Record lake levels in spring 2011 posed a significant threat to the sandbar causeway near South Hero, Vermont.

The International Joint Commission (IJC) has made its recommendation to the governments of Canada and the United States for a plan of study to identify flood mitigation measures on Lake Champlain and the Richelieu River. The commission recommended the most comprehensive of the three options—projected to cost $14 million—presented by the binational Plan of Study workgroup in April.

The recommended option includes an evaluation of the causes and impacts of the historic 2011 flooding in the Lake Champlain and Richelieu River basins, enhanced hydraulic and hydrologic modeling, and an assessment of potential structural and non-structural flood mitigation measures and their impacts on natural resources and the built environment. The IJC also recommended the implementation of floodplain land use regulation by local governments and for the federal governments to strengthen transboundary coordination of flood preparedness, forecasting, and response. The study would be coordinated by a binational Study Board established by the governments.

The IJC, which was established in 1909 to prevent and resolve transboundary water disputes, appointed the workgroup at the request of the US and Canadian governments in March 2012 to examine the causes of the historic 2011 flooding and potential flooding mitigation measures. The workgroup received public input before presenting three options, ranging from $4 million to $14 million, to the IJC.

Read the full IJC Plan of Study Recommendation.

Vermont Phosphorus TMDL Nearing Completion

Runoff during flood events carries sediment and phosphorus to the Lake and its tributaries.

Many people are closely following the revision of Vermont’s portion of Lake Champlain’s Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for Phosphorus. The TMDL identifies the amount of phosphorus that can be delivered to the Lake without causing any harm. Originally approved by the EPA in 2002, the Vermont TMDL has been undergoing a revision since 2011. That revision is nearing completion. Two models have been built for the new TMDL— one model looks at the amount and movement of phosphorus in the Lake; the other looks at phosphorus in the watershed.

The EPA recently met in Montpelier with staff from the State of Vermont and others from research groups and watershed organizations, including the LCBP. The purpose of this meeting was to review the “Scenario Tool” for the watershed model. This tool, once complete, will allow resource managers to examine the effect that Best Management Practices (BMPs) will have on the delivery of phosphorus in the various segments of Lake Champlain. This tool is extremely flexible, and is informed by cutting-edge research currently underway in the Basin (including a few recent LCBP-funded projects) to ensure that the results are as accurate as possible. Resource managers will be able to predict the phosphorus reductions to each lake segment resulting from various combinations of BMPs. This tool, and the two models, should be complete shortly.

Keep an eye out for announcements about public meetings that will be held in the fall. LCBP, EPA, the State of Vermont and ECHO will be partnering to facilitate and host these necessary public meetings to gather feedback from the stakeholder groups within the Vermont portion of the Lake Champlain basin. The EPA will be finalizing the TMDL and their report over the winter of 2014 and expect to release the new TMDL in summer 2014.

Vermont Updates Fish Consumption Advisories

Fishing is a popular way to enjoy Lake Champlain and to eat healthfully. Fish are a good low-fat source of protein and healthy omega fatty acids. Unfortunately, fish also can be a source of harmful mercury, PCBs, and other toxins if regularly consumed in quantities greater than recommended levels. The States of New York and Vermont, and the Province of Québec each provide consumption advisories to inform their residents and visitors about safe consumption levels of fish harvested from their waters, including Lake Champlain.

The Vermont Department of Health recently updated their statewide fish consumption advisories, including special advisories for Lake Champlain (the advisories were last revised in 2007). Most of the Vermont Lake Champlain consumption advisories are a result of mercury levels in fish tissue; the advisory for large lake trout is due to high PCB concentrations and is consistent with the current New York State recommendation. Notable Vermont consumption advisories for Lake Champlain include:

• A large lake trout (larger than 25”) advisory of one meal per month (0 for women of childbearing age and children under 15)

• Added a special restriction to Smallmouth Bass 19” and larger in Lake Champlain (in 2007, there was no special restriction to LC)

• Increased Yellow Perch (less than 10”) consumption in Lake Champlain to 5 meals/month for women of childbearing age and children (statewide advisory remains the same: 3-4 for women/children, no restrictions for everyone else)

• A new general advisory for white perch (3-4 meals/month for women of childbearing age and children, no restrictions for everyone else)

For a full list of Vermont advisories, visit the Department of Health’s Fish Alert page.

For more information about advisories throughout the Lake Champlain Basin and progress on reducing mercury in fish, visit the LCBP State of the Lake website.

Boat Launch Stewards

A boat launch steward greets kayakers at the Converse Bay Fishing Access in Charlotte, Vermont

Ten Lake Champlain stewards staffed boat launches throughout New York and Vermont between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Stewards stationed at high-use boat launches managed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department offered courtesy boat inspections, removed aquatic plants and other organisms from boats, trailers and other recreational equipment, and gathered information on the use of launches.

Mid-way through the summer season, stewards had greeted over 2,500 boaters from 23 states and three Canadian provinces. They collected a number of aquatic organisms (native and invasive) hitchhiking on boats and trailers coming and going from Lake Champlain. From approximately 500 boats with aquatic stowaways, stewards took 243 samples containing invasive or unidentified organisms.

The boat launch steward program, which has been sponsored by the LCBP since 2007, is part of a coordinated regional effort to combat aquatic invasive species. Stewards participated in joint training this spring with the Paul Smiths College Adirondack watershed stewardship program. The program is supported by partners from Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Lake Champlain Sea Grant, Lake Champlain Committee, NYSDEC, the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP).

Learn more about the threats AIS pose to the lake at our AIS Spread Prevention web page.

Champlain Valley International Wine Trail

The new wine trail website provides links to more than 50 vineyards and wineries where visitors can relax and savor the scenery.

In September 2012, the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership (CVNHP) launched the first international wine trail in the United States, linking over 50 vineyards, wineries, and cideries in the Champlain Valley. The trail promotes sustainable agritourism and boosts local economies through partnerships between Vermont, New York, and Québec. It also advances the CVNHP mission by connecting community, culture and conservation.

Though ice wines and ciders have long been regional staples, dry-style winemaking is relatively new here, and winemakers need additional support to promote their product. Hybrids (crosses between traditional winemaking grapes and native species) have been developed recently to survive the region’s frigid winters and mature within a short growing season. Thanks to these hybrids, nearly all of the vineyards on the trail grow their own fruit to produce award-winning wines—a perfect fit in the ever-popular local foods movement!

Trail organizers launched a new website and Facebook page in mid-July. The new site features an interactive map with links to every vineyard as well as tourism information. In late August, CVNHP hosted an informational meeting with 35 Champlain Valley winemakers in attendance and received input on the scope and direction of the trail. This winter, CVNHP hopes to submit a formal petition to recognize the New York and Vermont portions of the Champlain Valley as an American Viticultural Area, which would embrace our agricultural history and promote cross-Lake tourism.

For more information, please visit the Champlain Valley International Wine Trail website, or follow us on Facebook

LCBP Resource Room Visitation Hits a Quarter Million!

Photo courtesy of ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center.

LCBP reached a milestone this summer when we hosted the 250,000th visitor to our Lake Champlain Resource Room! Congratulations to the Case Family of New Hampshire who visited our space within the ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center in Burlington, Vermont on July 19th. The Cases were, appropriately, exploring the area before going fishing.

The quarter million mark was just in time to showcase a recent renovation of the Resource Room. Fresh from a makeover that opened up a reading area and more views of the Lake, the Room also has new interpretive panels and a fresh coat of paint. This bright new look was the perfect setting to award the Case Family free passes to a scenic cruise on the Spirit of Ethan Allen III. While we can’t give cruise tickets to every visitor, we can answer Lake and Basin questions, identify volunteer opportunities, provide educational resources, engage children, and help you find opportunities for stewardship. For more information call 802-864-1848 x109, or visit www.lcbp.org.

New Exhibits Introduce Visitors to Champlain Valley

Photo courtesy of LCVC.

The LCBP and the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership developed seven new exhibit panels now on display at the Lake Champlain Visitors Center at Crown Point, New York. The panels introduce visitors to the Champlain Valley National Heritage Area and orient them to the area’s cultural, natural and recreational opportunities, and also highlight water quality issues and stewardship opportunities.

In the same spirit of collaboration that guides the management of the heritage area, the LCBP worked closely with key partners to develop the signs. Visitor Center Manager Suzanne Maye consulted to ensure the signs complemented existing information and materials related to the history of the bridge and its construction, while the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum wrote content for several of the panels.

The exhibits were unveiled at a bi-state mixer that brought business owners and citizens to Crown Point for an evening tour of historic sites. The exhibits, which showcase key regional sites and events, have become an important tool in serving guests to the Visitors Center.

Effects of Unpaved Roads on Water Quality Assessed

A recent LCBP-funded study conducted by the University of Vermont suggests that unpaved roads can be a significant source of pollution in the Winooski River watershed and potentially throughout the rest of the Champlain Basin. A team of researchers led by Dr. Beverly Wemple measured runoff volume and collected water quality samples at 12 upland road segments in the Mad River valley in 2011 and 2012. Extrapolating the results from these test sites to data from surveys of 100 kilometers (62 miles) of backroads in the larger Winooski River watershed, the team estimated that unpaved roads contribute as much as 31% of the Winooski River’s suspended sediment load to Lake Champlain and up to 11% of the average annual phosphorus load. The backroad survey showed that since the amount of erosion and pollution was tied to the steepness of roads and that more than half of the roads had stream crossing, BMPs such as vegetated and stone-lined ditches, turnouts, check dams, and other efforts to disconnect roads from waterways will help reduce erosion. The team evaluated a recent New York road inventory and determined the process used for this study could be applied to similar upload areas throughout the Lake Champlain Basin. For more information read the complete technical report.

Recreation Trail Interpretation

Two LCBP Education Grants will help to increase residents’ and visitors’ understanding of the natural and cultural resources while enjoying two new recreation trails in the Basin. The City of Plattsburgh, NY has developed an interpretive plan and installed two trailhead signs on the recently completed Saranac River Trail. The trail re-establishes connections across the landscape, connecting Peace Point Park on the lake shore with the downtown business area. The Cross Vermont Trail Association has developed an interpretive guide to this multi-use, four-season path that runs the width of Vermont following the Winooski and Wells River Valleys. The guide, written in part by local middle and high school students using themes from the Lake Champlain management plan Opportunities for Action, interprets 30 sites along the Winooski River. The guide is available at the CVTA website, and individual pages are being used to produce interpretive signs along the trail.

Mad River Swimming Hole Signs

The Friends of the Mad River (FMR) has produced and installed new signs at swimming holes along the river to replace signs that were in disrepair or washed away by Tropical Storm Irene. The new signs highlight E. Coli information, stewardship initiatives, and local natural and cultural history. They also include a link to FMR’s website, where swimmers can find test results for samples collected as part of the Mad River Watch.

Small Farms Making a Difference Video

The Vermont Association of Conservation Districts (VACD) has produced a 16-minute film that highlights water quality improvement success stories at five farms in Vermont. Supported in part with an LCBP Education Grant, the video aims to make farmers aware of simple and cost effective practices that have immediate positive effects on water quality and the resources available to help them implement these practices. The video also demonstrates to non-farmers the efforts made by the agricultural community to address water quality concerns. The video is being disseminated to farmers, and will be available on the VACD website.

Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District Conservation Tillage Grant

With recent flooding, it’s more important than ever to prevent enriched soils from eroding off the fields and ending up in Lake Champlain. With a 2012 Pollution Prevention Grant, the Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District (WNRCD) purchased an aeration tiller, which works by loosening the soil vertically. Aeration tillage reduces runoff by promoting infiltration so that surface water is directly absorbed into the ground rather than flowing off the surface of the field. The WNRCD implemented aeration tillage on 300 acres within the Winooski River watershed and provided outreach to 50 farmers. The 2012-13 program was considered a success, and WNRCD hopes to aerate more than 500 acres next year.

Vermont River Conservancy Enosburg Falls River Access Grant

The Vermont River Conservancy (VRC) has completed a report for the newly conserved Enosburg Falls Public River Access site. The report documents natural features in the conserved area and provides a baseline for future restoration efforts. The project was one of several funded through a grant program aimed at shoreline habitat protection. The report was part of a larger conservation project spearheaded by the Vermont River Conservancy to acquire a 9.28 acre private lot with 1,500 feet of river frontage in the town of Enosburg Falls. The parcel had long been used as a public access to the Missisquoi River. Working with the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board and the Town of Enosburgh Conservation Fund, among others, VRC acquired the parcel in 2011, ensuring continued public access to the river. Using the report, resource managers will annually monitor the site to ensure the healthy ecosystem remains intact for years to come.

Our Common Planet Workshop Series

Join Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge educators and the Champlain Basin Education Initiative Partners to explore our watershed as part of a series of free workshops that link Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards with the places we love. October 19. More information.

Lake Shoreland Protection Public Meetings

Thursday, September 26, 2013 – Public Meeting from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the North Hero Community Hall, 3537 US Route 2, North Hero

Thursday, October 3, 2013 – Public Meeting from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Burlington, Contois Auditorium, City Hall 149 Church Street

Early January 2014, Time and date TBD – State House, Montpelier VT

For more information, please visit: https://leg2.vermont.gov/sites/legislature/LSP/default.aspx

Tile Drainage Research Conference at Miner Institute

One day conference to discuss the latest research and technology in tile drainage water management at the Miner Institute in Chazy, NY. This conference is co-sponsored by the Miner Institute, NY NRCS and LCBP. Please join us from 10 AM – 3 PM on October 24 to discuss the latest research and technology in tile drainage water management. For more information and registration details please visit the LCBP website.