The Lake Champlain Basin Program and New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission are releasing a Request for Proposals for geomorphic assessments for portions of the Rock River. The Rock River flows through both Vermont and Québec before draining into Missisquoi Bay, which presents challenges for coordinating management between the two jurisdictions. This project will support a geomorphic assessment of the Rock River following to a single protocol, generating much-needed information consistent in Québec and Vermont to maintain and restore a healthy river system. Up to $70,000 is available to support the project, which is part of a watershed-wide effort to use the science of fluvial geomorphology to increase understanding of how streams evolve over time and how phosphorus pollution can be reduced.
“Our rivers do not follow international border lines. This bi-national, collaborative project represents a unique opportunity for partnership between Vermont and Québec, and will ultimately lead to reduced phosphorus loading to Lake Champlain,” said Matthew Vaughan, Lake Champlain Basin Program Technical Coordinator. “These assessments will allow us to prioritize sections of the Rock River that require the greatest attention and will lead to better practices on the land that will protect water quality, support healthy ecosystems, and minimize potential hazards.”
This work is in support of the Lake Champlain Basin Program’s long-term management plan, Opportunities for Action: An Evolving Plan for the Future of the Lake Champlain Basin. The project is supported by funds awarded to the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission on behalf of the Lake Champlain Basin Program by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission.
For complete details about this Request for Proposals, please visit the Lake Champlain Basin Program website. Electronic versions of proposals must be received by grants@lcbp.org no later than 4:30 pm on September 17, 2018. Please contact Matthew Vaughan mvaughan@lcbp.org (802 372-3213) for further information.
The Lake Champlain Basin Program coordinates and funds efforts that benefit the Lake Champlain Basin’s water quality, fisheries, wetlands, wildlife, recreation, and cultural resources. The program works in partnership with federal agencies, state and provincial agencies from New York, Vermont, and Québec, local communities, businesses, and citizen groups. These partners have led a collaborative, non-partisan effort to address water quality and environmental challenges that cross political boundaries. For further information about the program, contact the Lake Champlain Basin Program, 54 West Shore Road, Grand Isle, VT at (802) 372-3213 / (800) 468-5227 or visit www.lcbp.org.