LCBP Teams with ECO AmeriCorps

The LCBP is pleased to welcome ECO AmeriCorps member Corey Aydlett. Corey is serving as an LCBP Education and Outreach Assistant through August 2018. He will create a series of lake-related student activities to be integrated into local summer camp programs. “I’m committed to creating opportunities in environmental education for youth in the LCBP community,” said Aydlett.

Corey is from Raleigh, North Carolina and received his B.S. in Environmental Technology and Management with a minor in Outdoor Leadership from NC State University. During his undergraduate career, Aydlett joined the national service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, volunteering with nonprofit organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Together We Can, Inc., and Peacework in efforts to learn about social and environmental issues. He gained research and public outreach experience with the Sea Grant Program for the University of Guam on watershed conservation. His passion for the environment and education led him to work with youth as a camp specialist for the Oak City Adventures Program in Raleigh, NC last summer.

Corey and his 23 fellow Vermont ECO AmeriCorps members are each serving 1,700 hours with their respective organizations. ECO AmeriCorps is a service corps created by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation to place members at service sites dedicated to clean water and universal recycling. The program provides participants an opportunity to shape a lifelong career in environmental conservation, while immediately placing feet on the ground to benefit Vermont’s environment.

Learn more about ECO AmeriCorps

Boat Launch Steward Season in Review

Decontamination stations have bolstered AIS spread prevention efforts in the Basin.

The LCBP’s Boat Launch Steward program embarked on its second decade of operation in 2017. The program continues to be a critical component of aquatic invasive species spread prevention efforts in the Basin. This season saw expanded efforts with a program-high of 11 stewards, the debut of the steward program in Québec, and the operation of decontamination stations at three launches.

The program has informed the public about aquatic invasive species threats and spread prevention at high-use boat launches in Vermont and New York on Lake Champlain since 2007. Boat launch stewards offer courtesy boat inspections, remove aquatic plants and other organisms from boats, trailers and other recreational equipment, and gather boat launch user data. Information gleaned from surveys can help resource managers assess spread prevention efforts taken by boaters, identify which species are moving into and out of Lake Champlain, and track the movement of watercraft to and from Lake Champlain, helping to identify transport risks.

In 2017, stewards inspected 12,314 watercraft and found aquatic invasive species to be present 315 times. Watercraft from 39 states and provinces had visited Lake Champlain, from as far away as Louisiana, Wyoming, and Arizona. Over 86% of boaters reported to have taken AIS spread prevention measures. Stewards at the decontamination stations treated 75 high-risk boats with a high-pressure, hot-water wash and engine or compartment flush. Over the eleven-year period, stewards have been in contact with nearly 207,000 boaters and have intercepted aquatic invasive species 4,782 times.

The LCBP steward program complements a sister program operated by Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute that fields 17 stewards and operates an additional five decontamination stations at other launches on Lake Champlain. As they look to improve on the successes to date, resource managers are using the data collected from both programs to conduct risk assessments to determine where to focus efforts and place additional decontamination stations in the future.

Champlain Canal Feasibility Study Moves Forward

Scientists conduct a survey for Asian clams on the Champlain Canal.

An agreement signed this fall has paved the way for a study of options for preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species through the Champlain Canal. The agreement between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and NEIWPCC will address transport of invaders while maintaining the use of the canal.The LCBP worked with the Army Corps of Engineers to initiate the feasibility study.

The Champlain Canal is an important catalyst for economic growth and tourism. It also has been identified as an important avenue through which aquatic invasive species enter Lake Champlain. Species such as the spiny water flea, water chestnut, and zebra mussel are non-native species that cause harm to the economy, environment, or are a threat to human health.  There are 122 known aquatic non-native and invasive species in the Hudson River and 186 in the Great Lakes system, which are connected to Lake Champlain by the Champlain Canal and other waterways.

The Champlain Canal Barrier Feasibility Study was authorized by the Water Resources Development Act of 2000, and amended in 2007. The Army Corps of Engineers is authorized to conduct a feasibility study, as well as construct, operate and maintain a barrier that would block the movement of species along the Champlain Canal.  Supporting funds from the Great Lakes Fishery Commission in the amount of $199,500 were secured with the help of Senator Patrick Leahy to initiate the feasibility study, which is estimated to cost $570,000.

Plan for Army Corps Assistance Approved

The Bartlett Brook project in South Burlington, VT will help reduce sediment and nutrient loading from suburban landscapes with large areas of impervious surfaces.

The New York District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approved the General Management Plan (Section 542) that implements the Watershed Environmental Assistance Program. The goal of the program is to provide assistance with critical watershed restoration projects within the Lake Champlain Basin. The Corps provides expertise in planning, designing and implementing large-scale projects that produce ecosystem restoration, preservation, and protection benefits.

The Corps works in partnership with the LCBP to implement the program under Section 542 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2000. Projects supported by the plan must address one or more priorities identified in the LCBP’s Lake Champlain management plan Opportunities for Action, while meeting Army Corps criteria for technical feasibility, efficiency, and effectiveness.

The LCBP coordinates with the Corps for the solicitation and review of requests for project support from eligible organizations, including municipal entities, state or interstate agencies, Native American nations, or qualifying non-profit organizations. All projects are reviewed by the LCBP’s Technical Advisory Committee and approved by the Lake Champlain Steering Committee. The Corps provides planning and technical services and project coordination, and non-federal partners provide a 35% cash or in-kind match to support the project.

The USACE Section 542 program has helped to support several projects in the Basin since it was first established in 2004. The City of South Burlington, Vermont recently completed a $2 million project of constructed drainage swales and grass channels, a bioretention area, infiltration trenches, wetland ponds, and a new drainage system of larger pipes and catch basins. This series of projects will reduce the negative impact of stormwater runoff and manage flooding in two suburban neighborhoods.

Learn more about the Watershed Environmental Assistance Program

Education and Outreach Highlights

Teachers examine plankton with Cynthia Norman of the LCBP Resource Room team.

Love the Lake Educator Workshop Was a Blast!
Twenty-one educators participated in the Champlain Basin Education Initiative’s “Love the Lake” workshop on August 17 in Burlington, VT. Eric Howe, LCBP Director, started the day with a review of the 2015 State of the Lake Report. Participants then chose among seven workshops where they collected and studied plankton, bicycled along the green stormwater infrastructure tour loop in Burlington, learned the science of sailing, practiced multi-media inquiry techniques, and explored the archaeology of fishing in the Champlain Valley.  It was an exciting day to feature cool new ways for educators to helps students Love the Lake!

Local Watershed Groups Exchange Strategies and Successes
The LCBP and Watersheds United Vermont hosted a joint annual meeting of local watershed groups and their partners. Each year, participants build new skills, share strategies and success stories, and develop dialogue with other groups to solve problems. Forty-five individuals contributed their time to the November 4th event held at the Rokeby Museum in Ferrisburgh, VT.  Discussion focused on riparian restoration, resiliency concerns, dam removal partnerships, and effective communication tools. Watershed groups use grant funds and federal and state dollars to implement important “boots-on-the ground” projects, accomplishing an outstanding breadth of work with strong volunteer involvement. The Lake Champlain Basin Program is proud to support this work.

Diving In
The LCBP released “Raising Salmon in the Classroom,” the latest video in the Diving In series. The film documents students from Westport and Willsboro, NY, who learned about the salmon life cycle and habitat as part of the Salmon in the Classroom program. The program is supported by New York State DEC and Trout Unlimited. Students raised salmon from eggs and released them into local streams. They learned about stream ecology and the connections of these tributaries to Lake Champlain.
Watch Salmon in the Classroom

Partners in Action
Partners in Action: Federal Agencies at Work in the Lake Champlain Basin is a new publication that highlights the roles and projects of federal agencies working to improve water quality and ecosystem integrity in the Lake Champlain. These agencies play an important role in implementing the goals of the LCBP’s Lake Champlain management plan Opportunities for Action. They provide financial and technical support to state and local partners, and implement key project of their own to restore and protect the Lake and its watershed. The Federal Partners Workgroup was created to ensure coordination among these agencies. The LCBP helps to facilitate the group’s functions and activities by organizing meetings and providing communications support.

CVNHP Hosts International Summit

Jim Brangan, Assistant Director of the CVNHP, discusses Lake George history at the Wiawaka Center for Women.

The CVNHP hosted its seventh annual International Summit in Lake George, New York on October 23. More than 50 officials, partners and stakeholders from Vermont, New York and Québec attended the meeting, which included a keynote from Art Cohn, the principal investigator of the Spitfire Project to restore and preserve this important piece of American heritage that is currently resting on the bottom of Lake Champlain. Breakout sessions included a “Q&A”-style session on the Spitfire, a discussion on how partners can advance the CVNHP's Making of Nations interpretive theme, and a review of the programs and projects proposed for the FY2018 CVNHP Workplan and Budget. The 2017 Summit included a field day tour of historic and cultural sites on Lake George on October 22, including the Lake George Historical Society, Lake George Battlefield Park, and the Wiawaka Center for Women.

Learn more about the CVNHP

Local Implementation Grant Results

An LCBP grant has helped support production of a video to demonstrate proper water sampling procedures. Photo credit: Matt Witten

Since 1992, the LCBP has awarded more than $7.3 million through more than 1,000 small grants to local organizations. These grants support a variety of pollution prevention, habitat restoration, and other projects that address the goals and priorities of the Lake Champlain Steering Committee as outlined in the LCBP's Lake Champlain management plan Opportunities for Action. A sample of recently completed projects include:

Addison County Water Quality Education
The Addison County River Watch Collaborative (ACRWC) has collected samples on Addison County rivers in some cases for more than 20 years. In an effort to make this data more accessible to the public and increase the understanding of the data and its significance, the ACRWC hosted forums in several communities. Water Quality Chats were held in several towns and with local civic organizations, where citizens were able to ask questions and provide feedback and express concerns. The project also produced mini-kiosks for posting sampling results near popular water access areas and developed an instructional video to demonstrate water sampling processes. Learn more and watch the video >>
Grant Category: Education and Outreach

Missisquoi Bay Boat Launch Stewards
The LCBP was proud to provide funding in 2017 to support Boat Launch Stewards in the Québec portion of the Lake Champlain watershed, a first for the LCBP steward program since its inception in 2007. Organisme de bassin versant de la baie Missisquoi (OBVBM) stationed two stewards on Missisquoi Bay at the Pourvoirie Courchesne in Venise-en-Québec and at the municipal dock in Phillipsburg. The Québec stewards were hired by OBVBM and trained and equipped with supplies by the LCBP. The stewards conducted 677 inspections, spoke with nearly 2,500 people, and intercepted six invasive species. Their data will be compiled and analyzed with the data gathered in the rest of the Basin to help resource managers plan and prioritize future efforts.
Grant Category: Aquatic Invasive Species Spread Prevention

Community Vacuum Cleaner
The Clinton County Soil & Water Conservation District was awarded a grant from LCBPB to purchase a vacuum trailer to be shared by municipalities in the county. Recent efforts to reduce roadside erosion have identified the need for equipment to remove sediment from clogged infrastructure such as catch basins, sediment basins, and culverts. Materials in these structures can lead to overflow or possible failure. The Town of Plattsburgh hosts and maintains the vacuum trailer. A hands-on training was provided to staff from several local highway departments, and future trainings are planned. Shared equipment has proven to be an efficient and effective way to allow towns that cannot afford these tools to take important steps to reduce water pollution.
Grant Category: Pollution Prevention

Search our grants database to learn about other projects supported by the LCBP

Research and Implementation Projects

Each year, the LCBP funds several research projects that help to improve the understanding and inform management of the watershed. These projects include scientific research, best management demonstration projects, education and outreach efforts, and other initiatives that are key to implementing Opportunities for Action and improving the Lake Champlain ecosystem.

Lake Champlain Basin Land Cover Map
Under contract with the LCBP, the University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Lab (SAL) is currently developing the most detailed and accurate map of land cover ever produced for the U.S. portion of the Basin. The project is leveraging investments made by the LCBP and a host of other state, regional, and federal organizations in high-resolution aerial imagery and LiDAR elevation data derived from precise laser pulses. The SAL will develop two primary datasets: a 10-meter land cover that includes land cover classes in the National Land Cover Database (NLCD), and a 1-meter land cover that breaks some classes into more specific land cover categories. A composite digital elevation model (DEM) for the U.S. portion of the Basin will also be produced. The data will be tremendously useful to researchers and resource managers working on projects ranging from habitat studies to non-point source pollution modelling. The data and maps are expected to be available in Spring 2018.

A portion of a land cover map developed by the UVM Spatial Analysis Lab for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed shows buildlings, roads, parking lots and other impervious surfaces, forest, low-lying vegetation (grass), wetlands, and water.

Partner Grant Opportunities

New York State Harmful Algal Bloom Projects
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has unveiled a $65 million initiative to aggressively combat harmful algal blooms in Upstate New York. The plan will target threats to the recreational use of lakes and sources of drinking water. Lake Champlain and Lake George are among the 12 water bodies identified as priorities. The State will provide nearly $60 million in grant funding to implement Action Plans developed as part of the initiative. Projects supported will include new monitoring and treatment technologies. Learn more >>

Vermont Watershed Grants
The Vermont Watershed Grants Program is now accepting applications for projects that protect and restore the state’s lakes, rivers, and wetlands, and enhance Vermonters’ understanding and enjoyment of these resources. Applications are due no later than Monday, January 15, 2018. Municipalities, local and regional government agencies, sporting clubs, non-profit organizations, and citizens groups are eligible to apply. The range of past projects is just as diverse, and has included invasive species education, shoreline vegetation restoration, and the removal of old dams and replacement of culverts to improve fish passage. Learn more >>

Ecosystem Restoration Grants
The Vermont Clean Water Initiative Program is accepting Ecosystem Restoration Grant applications on a rolling basis. Applications received by January 31, 2018 at 4:00 pm will be included in the next review. Please visit the Clean Water Initiative Program Grants webpage for more details. Learn more >>

Upcoming Events

Vermont Farm Show
January 30-31 and February 1, 2018, Champlain Valley Expo, Essex Junction, VT
Come visit the LCBP table while browsing the equipment, machinery, food samplings and other agricultural products.
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CBEI Workshop for Educators
February 8, 2018, St. Albans, VT
The first of several workshops planned for 2018 will explore ways to teach and learn about the Lake Champlain Basin.

Love the Lake Winter Speaker Series
February 15 & 22, March 1 & 8, 2018, 6:30-7:30, Gordon Center House, Grand Isle, VT
Join the LCBP on cold winter evenings for warm conversation and tasty desserts. Look for our schedule of 2018 speakers by mid-January!

World Water Day
March 20, 2018, ECHO
In honor of World Water Day, schools can help the Champlain Basin Education Initiative celebrate the water around us by entering original photos, writing, art, and/or videography into our contest. The subject of your entry must be water issues related to Lake Champlain, other U.S. and world lakes, ponds, rivers, icicles, oceans or other inspirational water resources. Entries will be displayed during our celebration in Burlington.
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Watershed for Every Classroom (WEC)
July 2018 – May 2019, multiple locations
The Champlain Basin Education Initiative will offer this year-long professional development experience for educators in the Lake Champlain Basin (Vermont, New York, and Québec). The eleven-day program offers teachers inspiration, knowledge and skills to frame exciting watershed education. Participants can earn five graduate credits through St. Michaels College for an additional fee. The first week of the program runs from July 16-20.
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