The Lake Champlain Basin can be divided into eight major sub-basins, which are each drained by one or more of the Lake’s major tributaries. The Lake Champlain Atlas includes a map of these eight major sub-basins as well as more detailed maps showing the landforms in each of the sub-basins.

[Click on the links below to open the Atlas pages for each sub-basin in a separate window.]

Boquet/AuSable

Grand Isle

Lamoille

Missisquoi/Pike

Otter/Lewis

Poultney – Mettowee

Saranac/Chazy

Winooski

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Since 1992, the Lake Champlain Basin Program has operated several competitive grant programs, known collectively as Local Implementation Grants. Funded projects have addressed all aspects of the Opportunities for Action Plan, from phosphorus reduction, to preventing the spread of nuisance species, to public education and outreach, to restoring important cultural heritage sites. LCBP grant awards continue to help fund projects in the New York and Vermont portions of the Basin that strive to preserve, protect and improve the Lake Champlain.

Annual Priorities (1996 - Present)

Annual Priorities grants (formerly referred to as “Local Implementation” grants) are larger grants given each year to address the issues laid out in Opportunities for Action but priority is given to projects that specifically target the priority issues identified by the Lake Champlain Basin Program each year. Types of projects supported include: non-point source pollution reduction, non-native invasive species control, monitoring of toxin producing blue green algae, and watershed restoration projects.

Maximum Funding Per Grant: $10,000

Matching funds required: 25%

Partnership (1992 - Present)

Partnership grants support local solutions to conservation issues. They are given to projects with partnerships among citizens, grassroots groups, local and state government. Most projects include a key role for volunteers to provide labor, with essential expenses and materials covered by the Partnership Program and other sources. The unifying theme of selected projects is community efforts that make the most of partnerships and volunteers. The Partnership Program is based on a unique premise: small projects with genuine support and involvement by volunteers and kindred organizations produce long-lasting and meaningful results.

Maximum Funding Per Grant: $5,000

Matching funds required: 25%

Education & Outreach (1993 - Present)

Education and Outreach grants recognize what educational resources already exist in the Lake Champlain Basin and work with those groups to create a comprehensive education and outreach program for the Lake. These projects inform students and/or adults about important Lake Champlain issues identified in Opportunities for Action. Projects usually include a mechanism that allows the results to be communicated to a broader audience in the future.

Maximum Funding Per Grant: $7,500

Matching funds required: 25%

Organizational Support (2001 - Present)

Organizational Support grants support increased organizational capacity and long term effectiveness for organizations whose mission statements are specifically focused on achieving water quality improvements in the Lake Champlain watershed. Cultural heritage and sustainable recreational programs are also sometimes eligible. The intent of this grant category is to assist organizations with the early stages of their development or to assist organizations with a longer history to achieve a stronger operational foundation. Types of support have included: board recruitment and partner outreach, improved database and financial management, employee and volunteer training, and strategic planning.

Maximum Funding Per Grant: $5,000

Matching funds required: 25%

Cultural Heritage / Technical Assistance Program (TAP) (1996 - Present)

Cultural Heritage / TAP grants are small grants that support local historic preservation initiatives in the Lake Champlain Basin communities. These grants typically fund archaeological assessments, museum mentoring, National Register documentation, downtown revitalization, cultural heritage tourism, building assessments for historic structures, and education and outreach projects pertaining to cultural resources. Applications are accepted from municipalities, non-profit organizations and individuals.

Maximum Funding Per Grant: $1,000

Matching funds required: 33%

Bikeways (1997 – 1998)

Bikeways enhancement grants were small grants available for bicycle friendly enhancements along exiting roadways of the Lake Champlain Bikeways network in Vermont and New York. Projects included: bicycle racks, benches, picnic tables, rest rooms, water fountains, interpretative signs, and brochures.

Maximum Funding Per Grant: $2,000

Matching funds required:

Public Access Improvement (1996 – 1999)

Public Access Improvement grants were made possible through funding from the National Park Service – Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program. These grants provided support to local efforts to improve and enhance public access on Lake Champlain in Vermont and New York. Projects included: expansion of communal ramps and docks, improved handicap access, installation of interpretive signs, and renovation and improvement of public areas along the lake.

Maximum Funding Per Grant: $5,800

Matching funds required:

Pollution Prevention (1994 – 1995)

Pollution Prevention grants supported pollution prevention and control activities in the Lake Champlain Basin. Pollution prevention encompasses many different activities aimed at reducing or eliminating the generation of pollutants (including both toxic pollutants and conventional pollutants such as nutrients and sediments) at the source. Examples of prevention and/or control strategies include: substituting non-polluting for polluting materials in manufacturing and other activities; stabilizing shorelines, using new technologies that save energy or other resources, and creating alternative wastewater treatments. Projects included a strong emphasis on public participation and education.

Maximum Funding Per Grant: $91,704

Matching funds required: 25%

Watershed Assistance Program (1994)

Watershed Assistance Program grants supported new and existing local watershed groups to develop and implement watershed plans, address pollution problems, and raise awareness of watershed issues in local communities. These projects helped citizens understand how nonpoint source pollution, which may be of concern locally, may also affect areas downstream, including Lake Champlain. Several of the projects examined local issues, such as recreational access and wildlife habitat.

Maximum Funding Per Grant: $10,000

Matching funds required: 25%

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Closed = A grant that is inactive and has been finalized. The final report and associated work products have been approved by the LCBP and US EPA.

Open = A grant that is still active and has not yet been finalized. The abstracts listed are based on the grant’s initial work plan and may be subject to change when the final report is approved.