or those who enjoy Lake Champlain by sail-ing on a breezy summer afternoon, taking amoonlight dip on a warm evening, or castingout a fishing line, it is natural to be inter-

ested in preserving and improving the Lake’s waterquality. Good water quality is one of the majorthemes in the management plan for the LakeChamplain basin because it is essential to the lake’shealth and there is strong public interest. Citizensgroups, government programs and university person-nel collect water samples and monitor water qualitydata for Lake Champlain and its tributaries. Scien-tists are using the data to track our progress towardbetter water quality and a healthier ecosystem.

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Basin Waves – page 2.Trailing Lake Champlain’sBirds – page 9.

Check out the LCBPOn-line!

www.lcbp.org

FPete Stangel, Aquatic Biologist with Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation samples LakeChamplain’s waters.

By Andrea Donlon

Celebrate the Lake – page 7.

VT DEC

Keeping an Eye on the Lake 1

Basin Waves and Events 2

Public Meetings 3

CAC Awards to Local Groups 6

Underwater Survey 7

New Cultural Heritage& Recreation Awards 8

Trailing Lake Champlain’s Birds 9

ECO-PEERS 9

Sea Grant Update 9

Reader Survey 10

Local Implementation Awards 11

Champlain 2000 11

Keeping an Eye on the Lake

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BASIN WAVES. . .Good news from around theLake Champlain Basin!

• The LCBP would like to thank to JanetSwentusky and the AuSable River Associationfor hosting a watershed association workshop onApril 10th at AuSable Valley School. Thirtyparticipants and eight watershed groups at-tended. Guest speakers gave presentations aboutfish habitat, grant writing, nutrient sources,wetlands, record keeping, public access, volun-teer recruitment, and stream bank protection.The next watershed group meeting will be heldlater this year. April’s workshop was co-spon-sored by the LCBP and Cornell CooperativeExtension.

• Two hundredstudents fromH.O. WheelerandChamplainElementaryschools inBurlington andOrchardElementary inSouth Burlington participated in the WinooskiValley Park District’s (WVPD) State of theWinooski Basin Youth Conference during May.Students represented stakeholders involved inreducing phosphorus, such as farmers,homeowners, wastewater treatment plant opera-tors, and loggers. WVPD received an LCBPwatershed education grant this year and will useUS EPA funds next year to involve students fromWinooski and Essex. For more informationcontact the WVPD at (802) 863-5744.

• The LCBP’seducation andoutreach staffgave presenta-tions to over25 school andcommunitygroups in theBasin thisspring. Partici-pants learnedabout polluted runoff by using Enviroscape’swatershed model, saw a slideshow about LakeChamplain, or learned about wetlands by partici-pating in a “wetlands metaphor” activity. Thestaff also reached 900 students through theEcosystem Exposition in Poultney, VT; EssexCounty Field Days in Keene and Penfield, NYand the Winooski Valley Park District’s Con-servation Field Day in Burlington, VT. Toschedule a visit, call the LCBP at (800) 468-5227.

• Boaters will want to check out the LakeChamplain Committee’s new Bilingual BoatingGuide in French and English. The guide pro-motes environmentally sound practices, safetytips and information on preventing the spread ofinvasive species. Call the LCC to receive a copy(free + postage) at (802) 658-1414.

• Eighteen educators attended the ChamplainBasin Education Initiative (CBEI) workshop,“Stewards of the Land: Farming for Water Qual-

ity in theChamplain Basin”at ShelburneFarms in April.Educators learnedabout phosphoruswith AnitaDeming, CornellCooperativeExtension; waterquality with AmyPicotte, VermontDEC andmacroinvertebrateswith MarkSkelding,Foodworks.Teachers also metwith local farmersand LindseyKetchel of the Vermont Department of Agri-culture. Shelburne Farms dairy manager, SamDixon, and researcher, Don Meals, gave a tourof the dairy barn and discussed best manage-ment practices. For more information aboutCBEI contact the LCBP at (800) 468-5227.

• More and more students are exploring andlearning about the lake while on the water.Students from Rutland High School spentseveral weeks in May canoeing from Otter Creekto the Canadian border. Check their website atrutlandhs.k12.vt.us/jpeterso/canoe/welcome.htm. Students from Addison CountySchools recently launched an authentic longboat they built at the Lake Champlain Mari-time Museum. The students rowed a portion ofthe lake and stopped along the way to visit otherschools. Contact the Maritime Museum for moreinformation at (802) 475-2022.

• TheGordonCenterHouse inGrandIsle,Vermontreceivedapprovalfrom theVermontlegisla-ture forrenovations, which are now underway. The LCBPanticipates moving back to the house during2000.

• Calling all birders! Green Mountain AudubonSociety seeks volunteers to complete avianchecklists while visiting 11 wildlife managementrefuges in Northwestern Vermont. Sites includeSnake Mountain and Little Otter Creek inAddison County and Mud Creek in Alburg. Thisproject was funded through a Partnership Pro-gram grant from the LCBP. For more informationand a list of sites call Mark LaBarr at (802) 434-3068 or e-mail him at ternvt@aol.com.

• A new guide for dentists about reducing,recycling and properly disposing waste mercuryamalgam, which is commonly used in fillings isnow available. The National WildlifeFederation’s (NWF) and Vermont DentalSociety’s “The Environmentally Friendly DentalOffice” promotes voluntary pollution preventionand proper handling techniques. For moreinformation contact the NWF at (802) 229-0650.

• Vermont Citizens Advisory Committee chair,Buzz Hoerr, represented Lake Champlain at theLake ’99 Conference in Copenhagen, Nether-lands in May. During the conference, membersof LakeNet convened for the first time. LakeNetis a project of Monitor International whichfacilitates informational exchanges on watershedmanagement. Other participating lakes includedLake Baikal, Laguna Lake, Lake Ohrid, LakePeipsi/Chudskoe, Lake Titicaca, Lake Toba, andLake Victoria. For more information contactMonitor International at (410) 268-5155.

WVPD

LCPB

LCPB

Events

September 24, 7 PM. “The History andEcology of the Black Bear,” a talk byRichard Sage of the Adirondack Ecologi-cal Center. Ticonderoga HistoricalSociety’s Hancock House, Ticonderoga,NY. Info: (518) 585-7868.

September 25, 10 AM to 3 PM.Missisquoi Wildlife Refuge OpenHouse. River boat tours, birding walks,canoe trips, and exhibits. Refuge Head-quarters, Swanton, VT. Info: (802) 868-4781.

October 25-27. Workshop: “MeasuringProgress in Your Watershed: Develop-ing Indicators and Reporting Systems.”Ramada Inn Conference Center,Burlington, VT. Info: Sue Thomas, GreenMountain Institute for EnvironmentalDemocracy (802) 229-6073.

November 4-5. Conference: “Waysof the Woods: Culture, Heritage,and the Evolving Economy of theNorthern Forest,” Eagle MountainHouse, Jackson, New Hampshire.Contact the Northern Forest Centerat (603) 229-0679 or emailnfc@northernforest.org.

November 5-7. Abenaki Studies Confer-ence: “Reflections of Rememberingand Forgetting: Revisiting the OriginalVermonters.” University of Vermont.Info: Cindy Longwell at (802) 656-3884.

The Youth Conference.

Nicole Ballinger of the LCBPexplains the watershed model.

Educators at Shelburne Farms.

Scafolding on the Gordon-Center House.

LCPB

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Public Meetings DiscussProgress ’99

The LCBP recently hosted four public meetings toreceive comments on Progress ’99: An Opportu-nities for Action Implementation Report, generalcomments on Lake Champlain’s managementand the Draft Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS)Management Plan. Meetings were held at fourlocations in the Basin during July and August.The LCBP would like to thank the citizens andBasin organizations who attended.

Introductory presentations were made by mem-bers of the Vermont and New York CACs. LCBP’sTechnical Coordinator, Barry Gruessner, pre-sented an overview of Progress ’99 and MichaelHauser of the Vermont DEC presented a sum-mary of the Draft ANS Management Plan. Publiccomments were recorded at the meeting and willbe forwarded to the Lake Champlain SteeringCommittee and the Vermont, New York andQuebec Citizen Advisory Committees for reviewthis fall. Comments are also being accepted bymail.

Progress ’99 Available

Progress ’99 reports on progress towards theimplementation of Opportunities for Action, themanagement plan for Lake Champlain during1998. Many on-the-ground projects and coopera-tive management efforts worked to address thePlan’s priority actions. Progress ’99 also listsLCBP’s grants to local communities and organi-zations. Seventy-four local projects received$322,110 last year. Below are a few highlights ofthe report.

• Phosphorus pollution was reduced throughwastewater treatment plant upgrades andhelping farmers better manage runoff.

• The Cumberland Bay PCB clean-up isunderway.

• The sea lamprey management program isshowing signs of success and a bi-statenuisance species management plan is nearlycomplete.

• Wetland and streambank restoration pro-grams continue.

• Several new bicycle theme loops were addedto Lake Champlain Bikeways.

• Public access enhancements provided betterrecreational opportunities.

• The underwater survey program is continu-ing to map the Lake’s bottom.

• Several historic sites and structures receivedfinancial and technical assistance.

Progress ’99 is available by calling the LCBP at(800) 468-5227 or on-line at www.lcbp.org. LCBPstaff are available to present a summary of thisreport and other activities in the LakeChamplain Basin.

Quebec to HostPublic Meeting

On Wednesday, September 29th the Quebec

CAC and the newly formed Missisquoi Bay Basin

Corporation are hosting a public meeting.

Several important officials will be on hand at the

event, including the Quebec Minister of Environ-

ment, members of the Quebec National Assembly

and members of Parliment Canada. Residents

from both sides of the border are invited.

Location: Missisquoi Bay Golf Club, 321 Avenue

Venise Ouest in Venise-en-Quebec. The meeting

wil begin at 7:00 PM, with informational displays

at 6:00 PM. Call Kenneth Miller, Quebec CAC

Chair at (450) 294-2464 for more information.

Some of the key issues and questions at eachmeeting included:

Whitehall, New York (July 27th)

• More funding should be appropriated tostop the waterchestnut spread. More aware-ness of the problem is needed amongindividuals influential with funding.

• The economy of the South Lake is hurt bywaterchestnuts.

Thank you to Ron Ofner, New York CAC Chair,for hosting this meeting.

St. Albans, Vermont (July 29th)

• St. Albans Bay beach should be included inthe beach closing data.

• More lake monitoring sites for phosphorus inSt. Albans Bay are needed

• The management of toxics needs to berefocused towards abating toxics. Government agencies should stop using a risk-based approach to toxics management.

• Better enforcement of existing environmentallaws in the Basin is needed, not new laws

• The public should know which farms havemanure spreading exemptions.

• Has there been a decrease in phosphorusloads to St. Albans Bay as a result of thesewage treatment plant upgrades and theBMP’s on agricultural lands?

• The LCBP should continue to fund rivergroups and not-for-profits.

Thank you to Ralph Montefusco and Gould Susslinof the Vermont CAC for hosting this meeting.

LCBP

Peru, New York (August 3rd)

• More needs to be done to address the zebramussel infestation.

• The planning process should address theissue of urban sprawl in the Basin.

• How can communities make sure that thefunding sources, such as the Bond Act,continue?

Thank you to Garry Douglas, New York CACVice-Chair, for hosting this meeting.

LCBP

Middlebury, Vermont (August 5th)

• Eurasian watermilfoil is a serious problem inthe South Lake. Funding is needed forharvesting and biological control researchusing weevils.

• The emerging sandbar on Otter Creek is aproblem.

• More legislators need to be aware of theEurasian watermilfoil problem.

• There is concern about rising lake levels inthe spring.

• What is happening on the Lake Champlainfishing license?

• Is Canada doing their part to help addressLake Champlain issues?

• Are fish safe to eat in the South Lake?• Does the clearer water resulting from the

zebra mussel infestation cause more plantgrowth?

• What is being done to prevent phosphorusinto the Lake from manure?

• What is being done with the Sea Grantfunding?

• More information should be distributedabout phosphorus levels.

Thank you to Michaela Stickney, Vermont Coor-dinator, for hosting this meeting.

The LCBP would like to thank the followingorganizations that brought displays for the openhouse: Boquet River Association, Cornell Coop-erative Extension, Lake Champlain Bikeways,Lake Champlain Birding Trail, Lake ChamplainByways, Lake Champlain Committee, LakeChamplain Maritime Museum, The NatureConservancy, Missisquoi River Basin Association,Missisquoi Wildlife Refuge, Poultney-MettaweeConservation District, Rutland Natural ResourcesConservation District, SUNY Lake ChamplainInstitute, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, andVermont DEC. We’d also like to thank SidCouchey and George Clifford for being on handto sign the Lake Champlain Lighthouses guide atthe Peru, New York meeting.

Meeting summaries will be available this fall.Contact the LCBP for more information.

Kenny Miller, Quebec CAC Chair (left,standing) and a citizen discuss the Lake.

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• Take personal actions to reduce the amount ofnutrients and pollutants entering the lake (forexample, reduce pesticide use or commercialfertilizers on your lawn).

• Become a volunteer with a local watershed group. Alist of groups is on the LCBP’s website:www.lcbp.org.

What are Trophic Levels?Trophic levels refer to the amount of nutri-ents, such as phosphorus, found in a lake.Scientists use three levels to describe a lake’strophic status:

Oligotrophic - Low nutrient levels (low plantgrowth and high water quality).Mesotrophic - Moderate nutrient levels(moderate plant growth and moderate waterquality).Eutrophic - High nutrient levels (low waterquality and excessive plant growth).

Lake Champlain’s trophic levels vary indifferent parts of the Lake. For example,Mallets Bay is considered oligotrophic, theMain Lake is mesotrophic and the SouthLake is eutrophic.

What is a Secchi Disk?

A Secchi disk is a 9-inch black and whiteround plate attached to a cord marked athalf-foot intervals. It is widely used as abasic water quality indicator. Monitors dipthe disk into the water until they can nolonger see it and read the depth. A clearlake with small algal populations will resultin a deep Secchi disk reading. A turbid lakehaving large algal populations will result ina shallow Secchi disk reading.

Collecting physical, chemical andbiological information is the key tounderstanding the Lake Champlainecosystem.

“Monitoring data provides scientistswith a basic understanding of naturalprocesses, normal cycles in lakes andthe basic characteristics of a healthyecosystem,” noted Mary Watzin,University of Vermont researcher andChair of the LCBP’s Technical AdvisoryCommittee. “Monitoring is alsoessential for understanding howhuman actions can lead to abnormalor unhealthy changes in water qualityand the ecosystem.”

Many water quality monitoringprograms focus on the nutrient status,or trophic level, of the Lake (seesidebar). Phosphorus levels are oftenused to help measure the trophicstatus. Phosphorus is a nutrient that isessential for plant growth, but inexcessive amounts can cause algalblooms and too much growth of otheraquatic plants. When the plantseventually die and decompose, oxygenlevels may decline, harming fish andother aquatic life. Too much phospho-rus therefore has negative effects onthe ecological health of the lake andits recreational use.

Continued from page 1.

Long-Term Water Quality and BiologicalMonitoring Project

The Long-Term Water Quality and BiologicalMonitoring Project began in 1992 and continuesto be conducted by New York and Vermont Stateagencies. The project seeks to detect long-termenvironmental change in the lake by samplingsites in Lake Champlain and its tributaries. Ateach sampling station, biologists use a Secchidisk (see side bar) to measure the clarity of thewater. They also measure the amount of oxygendissolved in the water, pH and the hardness ofthe water. Water samples are also collected. Inthe laboratory, these samples are analyzed forconcentrations of essential nutrients like phos-phorus and chlorophyll-a. Chlorophyll-a concen-tration data allow scientists to estimate theabundance of algae. In addition, net samples arecollected to examine phytoplankton and zoop-

lankton; and bottom samples are collected tomonitor benthic invertebrates, mysid shrimp,and zebra mussel populations.

In 1998, the Vermont Department of Environ-mental Conservation (VT DEC) and the NewYork State Department of Environmental Conser-vation (NYSDEC) published a report summariz-ing the monitoring results from 1992 to 1996(LCBP Technical Report No. 26). An analysis ofthe data showed significant reductions of phos-phorus in the LaPlatte River.

“The decline of phosphorus in the LaPlatte Rivercan be attributed to an upgrade of the HinesburgWastewater Treatment Facility in 1992,” said EricSmeltzer, Vermont State Lake Scientist. “In OtterCreek, a facility upgrade in Rutland in 1993 andoperational changes at a dairy plant that dis-charges to the Middlebury facility in 1994, mayresult in future declines there as well.”

Though phosphorus discharges from some of thetributaries and waste water treatment plantshave declined, the monitoring has not yetdetected a significant phosphorus reduction inthe Lake. Scientists believe that in the case ofLake Champlain, there can be a delay betweenimplementation of phosphorus controls and ameasurable response in the Lake’s water quality.This delay or “lag time” may be caused in part byaccumulation and storage of phosphorus insediments. For example, research conducted onSt. Albans Bay determined that a “lag time” ofseveral decades could occur before the Bay couldfully respond to wastewater treatment plantupgrades completed in the 1980’s (LCBP Techni-cal Reports 7A-C).

The data collected in the Long-TermWater Quality and Biological Monitor-ing Project are used to make manage-ment decisions about Lake Champlain.The data are available to researchers,state agencies, and the general publicthrough the VT DEC and NYSDEC. Inaddition to the data collected by theStates, a citizens’ monitoring programhas also provided essential data for lakemanagement decisions.

Lake Champlain Lay MonitoringProgram

Citizens from Vermont and New Yorkhave helped establish the longestrunning database about LakeChamplain’s water quality. Since 1979,the Vermont Lay Monitoring Programhas trained and equipped citizenvolunteers to conduct water qualitysampling on Lake Champlain and on 80other Vermont lakes.

“Monitors collect data from 36 sam-pling stations in Lake Champlain,including several sites on the New Yorkside of the lake,” said Amy Picotte, LayMonitoring Coordinator for VT DEC.“The program collects water qualitydata and informs area residents aboutlake protection and biology. Localvolunteers make a commitment tosample various sites weekly, and havegreatly contributed to the success of theprogram.”

Help Improve the Lake’sWater Quality

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Governor Howard Dean of Vermont measured theclarity of Lake Bomoseen’s waters with a Secchidisk for the Great American Secchi Dip-In last July.

LCBP

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Similar to the Long-term Water Quality projectnoted above, lay monitors measure water clarity,and collect water samples that state scientistsanalyze for total phosphorus concentration, andchlorophyll-a concentrations.

“We’re thrilled to help,” said Sally Littlefield.Sally and her husband Evan have been volunteermonitors at a station just north of Larrabee’sPoint in the South Lake for ten years. “Wereturned to Vermont to retire and are involved inthe Lay Monitoring Program because of ourlongtime fondness for Lake Champlain and ourinterest in doing something, even if small, toimprove the life of the lake.” The Littlefield’senjoy making the 2-mile trip out to their sam-pling station every Sunday morning in thesummer, despite the navigational difficultiesposed by extensive weed growth in their part ofthe lake. During their tenure, the Littlefieldshave noticed a major change — the water clarityhas increased by more than a meter, possiblybecause of the filtering action of zebra mussels.

Picotte is often asked how the lay monitoringdata is used. She notes that back in 1989, theVermont Water Resources Board began revisingthe state water quality standards. The Lay Moni-toring Program contributed necessary informa-tion for the Board to develop numerical phos-phorus criteria for 12 different segments of LakeChamplain. These standards came into effect in1991. “In a more general sense, results from theLay Monitoring Program can also be used todetect significant, rapid, or smaller long-termincreases in nutrient loading, such as naturalfluctuations in lake productivity,” said Picotte.

Additional New York State Programs

In addition to participating in the Long-TermWater Quality Monitoring Program, the NYSDECperiodically conducts extensive sampling withinparticular watersheds throughout the state. “LakeChamplain tributaries in New York are currentlybeing monitored as part of a two year focus inthe Rotating Intensive Basin Studies (RIBS),”noted Jeff Myers, RIBS Manager for the NYSDEC.Myers said that an initial biological screeningwas completed at 50 sites in the Basin last year.“This sampling indicated generally good waterquality at all of the sites that were assessed,” saidMyers.

This year, water column samples collected at tensites will be analyzed for solids, nutrients,coliform bacteria, common minerals, heavymetals, and basic parameters such as temperatureand pH. Chemistry testing of the sediment,biological monitoring and toxicity testing willalso be completed.

Myers added, “In addition to the RIBS samplingprogram, other state and citizen monitoringprograms in New York are also currently under-way in 17 lakes within the Lake Champlain basin.”

Local Monitoring Programs

In addition to the larger state programs, severallocal watershed groups and many municipalitiesare involved in water quality monitoring. TheFriends of the Mad River, for example, collectssamples for measuring bacteria levels and postsnotices for the public at swimming holes alongthe Mad River each week. In New York, theBoquet River Association (BRASS) also helpstowns monitor public beaches by collecting datarequired by the Health Department for publicswimming, such as bacteria levels and turbidity.

Two new monitoring projects, outlined below,are just getting underway.

AuSable River Association, NY. The AuSableRiver Association (ASA) is one of the newestwatershed groups in the Basin, formed last yearunder a grant from the LCBP. Coordinator JanetSwentusky reports that the ASA has plans to do achemical and biological survey of the AusableRiver. According to Swentusky, “River samplescollected during storms will be analyzed for totalphosphorus, conductivity, total suspended solids,temperature, and pH.” The data will be usedassess current conditions. “We also plan tocomplete a macroinvertebrate study, workingwith high school students and other volunteersstarting this fall.” Swentusky hopes that themacroinvertebrate study will be incorporatedinto the curriculum of science classes at the threelocal high schools, and that this monitoring willbecome a yearly event.

Burlington, VT EMPACT Project. In October of1998, the City of Burlington was awarded a$500,000 grant as part of the U.S. EPA’s Environ-mental Monitoring for Public Access and Com-munity Tracking (EMPACT) project. Burlingtonwas one of nine cities, out of 135 applicants, tobe awarded EMPACT funding. City officials,University of Vermont researchers and local non-government organizations will work together toaddress concerns about air and water qualitydegradation affecting Lake Champlain and citybeaches. One of the project’s expected outcomesis to make monitoring data easily accessible toresidents and visitors via exhibits in public areas.

Because of the interconnectedness between LakeChamplain and its drainage area, the quality ofthe water in the lake reflects our actionsthroughout the Basin. Monitoring also helps usknow what conditions in the lake can be consid-ered “normal” and what conditions are changingover time.

“Monitoring is the best way to determinewhether our management actions are achievingour goals,” said Mary Watzin. “Because the Lakeis responding to many factors at one time, longterm data sets are essential for sorting out shortterm fluctuations, like this year’s drought, fromlonger term responses. When scientists andcitizens share the monitoring tasks, both learnmore about the Lake and both can contribute tobetter management.”

The Lake Champlain Basin Program providesfinancial support for the Long-Term WaterQuality and Biological Monitoring Program, forthe Lake Champlain Lay Monitoring Program,and for the Ausable River biological and chemi-cal sampling project. For contact informationabout the programs noted above, please contactthe following:

Vermont Department of EnvironmentalConservation: (802) 241-3777New York State Department of EnvironmentalConservation: (518) 457-3502Friends of the Mad River: (802) 496-9127Boquet River Association: (518) 873-3688AuSable River Association: (518) 873-3752

Lake Champlain SteeringCommitteeTammy BenjaminMontpelier, VT - VT Agency of Transportation

Stuart BuchananRaybrook, NY - NYS DEC

Patrick BrennanAlbany, NY - NYS Department of Agricultureand Markets

Diane BurmanAlbany, NY - NYS Dept. of EconomicDevelopment

Peter ClavelleBurlington, VT - Mayor

Mario DelVicarioNew York, NY - USEPA Region 2

Francine EmondLongueuil, Quebec - Ministere de L'Environment

Donald GarrantPlattsburgh, NY

Leon GravesMontpelier, VT - VT Department of Agriculture

Buzz HoerrColchester, VT - VT CAC Chair

John KasselWaterbury, VT Agency of Natural Resources

Ron ManfredoniaBoston, MA - USEPA, Region 1

Kenneth MillerSt. George-de-Clarenceville, Quebec - CAC Chair

Ronald OfnerCrown Point, NY - NY CAC, Chair

Robert ReinhardtAlbany, NY - NYS OPRHP

Dave TiltonEssex Junction, VT - US Fish and Wildlife

John TitchnerWinooski, VT - USDA, NRCS

Emily WadhamsMontpelier, VT - VT Agency of Commerceand Community Development

Mary WatzinBurlington, VT - UVM School of Natural Resources

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Twenty-two organizations in the LakeChamplain Basin were recently awarded

$63,000 through 1999 Partnership Programfunding by the New York - Vermont CitizenAdvisory Committees (CACs) on LakeChamplain. An awards ceremony was held atthe Lake Champlain Basin Science Center inJune.

Over seven years, the Partnership Program hasawarded $357,000 to grassroots projects thatdemonstrate practical ways to address economicand conserva-tion challenges.This year,funding wasmade availablethrough theLCBP from theU.S. EPA andNational ParkService. Appli-cations for the2000 Partner-ship Programwill be avail-able in Decem-ber, 1999.

Vermont YCC State Park ImprovementVermont Youth Conservation Corps $5,000Youth Corps crews at seven state parks in theLake Champlain Basin repaired historic struc-tures, reclaimed trails and picnic areas andimproved recreational facilities over the summermonths.

Lake Champlain Birding Trail Planning andAwareness ProjectGeorge D. Aiken RC&D $5,000This proposed highway based birding trail willconnect about 60 existing and new birding sitesalong the Lake’s shoreline and upland areas. Thecompleted trail will create recreational, educa-tional and economic opportunities for visitorsand residents. Funds will help provide staffsupport for the project.

Carillon Park Center PlazaPRIDE of Ticonderoga $4,850PRIDE will purchase flagstone, gravel, plants,and other materials for a central plaza andwalkway in Carillon Park, which will help revital-ize the downtown area and connect to the publicaccess along the LaChute River.

Champlain Longboats: A Community Boat-building and Rowing PartnershipLake Champlain Maritime Museum $5,000The Champlain Longboat project will teach 16at-risk youths boat building and team buildingskills during the school year. The youths willspend one-week rowing on the Lake next spring.

Environmental Field DaysCornell Cooperative Extension $1,020Environmental Field Days is a joint 4-H and Soiland Water Conservation District program offeredannually to over 600 fifth and sixth graders.Students are provided with hands-on activitiesabout Essex County, the Lake Champlain Basinand the Adirondacks. Funds will be used toimprove the event’s communication equipmentand exhibits.

Vermont Wildlife Management Area ChecklistsGreen Mountain Audubon Society $2,130GMAS hired a part-time biologist and internswho worked with volunteers to develop avianchecklists for northwestern Vermont’s 11 wildlifemanagement areas. The checklists will be in-cluded in GMAS’s website and in the futureVermont Wildlife Management Area Map andPublic Use guide.

Lake Champlain Lighthouse GuideCumberland Head Tomorrow $1,500Cumberland Head Tomor-row printed a guide toLake Champlain light-houses illustrated bycartoonist Sid Couchey.Previous LCBP funds wereused to help develop theguide to the lighthouses.Call the Clinton CountyHistorical Association at(518) 561-0340 to pur-chase a copy.

Cycle the City!Burlington Bikeways Project $5,000Burlington Bikeways produced seven interpretiveand directional signs along Cycle the City’s sixtheme loops. This project is an important locallink to the Lake Champlain Bikeways networkand will be matched by $93,500 in local funds.

Chemical & Biological Survey of theAusable RiverAusable River Association $3,560The River Association, students, volunteers,NYSDEC, and the US Fish and Wildlife Servicewill assess macroinvertebrate populations andthe chemical health of the river, involve localwatershed residents in water quality issues andacquire baseline data for future monitoring.

St. Albans Historical Museum Diorama ProjectSt. Albans Historical Museum $2,036Funds are being used to help construct a di-orama of the topographical area from ValcourIsland to St. Jean, Quebec and a second exhibitdepicting St. Albans circa 1864. This exhibit isdesigned to enhance tourism and to be used as ateaching tool for up to 650 students per year.

North Branch Greenway ProjectMontpelier Parks $2,000Montpelier Parks will landscape and installinterpretive wetland signs near a bridge to beconstructed on the North Branch of the WinooskiRiver. The bridge will connect the greenway withthe North Branch Nature Center.

Video Tape on Rural Road Run-Off ControlsBoquet River Association $3,260BRASS is developing a 20 minute video scriptabout reducing sediment run-off from ruralroads. Nearly 400 copies will be distributed toBasin communities and watershed groups, Soiland Water Conservation Districts and WaterQuality Coordinating Committees.

Heritage Winooski Mill Museum: Exhibit ofWaterpower PathwaysHeritage Winooski $2,050The Museum will install a map of the WinooskiRiver’s course through four textile mills andhistoric gristmills. This exhibit, housed in theWinooski Mill, incorporates environmentalchanges to the river and the historic economicimportance of mills to Basin communities.

Historic Site EnforcementVermont State Police $4,500The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum will trainthe Vermont State Police Dive Team and auxiliaryto monitor underwater preserve sites in LakeChamplain.

Edmunds Canoe PartnershipEdmunds Middle School $3,670The school will purchase six canoes for educa-tional programs about Lake Champlain wetlands,water quality and habitat. The canoes will beshared with other organizations for environmen-tal education and watershed activities.

Fisk Quarry Preserve:Public Access and EducationIsle LaMotte Reef Preservation Trust $4,924The PreservationTrust developedpublic access,interpretivesignage andeducationalbrochures earlierthis summer for theFisk QuarryPreserve, animportant site ofthe ancient IsleLaMotte (Chazyan)Reef, known topaleontologists as“the world’s oldestreef.”

Lamoille County Watershed InitiativeLamoille County NRCD $1,000Lamoille County NRCD will begin to developeducation materials for residents on the LamoilleRiver which has experienced severe flooding inrecent years.

Dog River Riparian Inventory ProjectVermont River Conservancy $2,000The Conservancy will develop GIS planningmaps which encourage riparian protectionprojects and increased public access within fivewatershed communities along the Dog River, atributary to the Winooski River.

Sustainable Landscaping for Public ParksWinooski Valley Park District $1,000WVPD will landscape with native plants andhold public workshops as part of a sustainablelandscaping plan for natural areas in the parkdistrict.

Celebrate the WinooskiMontpelier Conservation Commission $1,000A part-time volunteer coordinator will be hired toorganize Celebrate the Winooski which includesa river celebration and two river clean-ups foradults and students. The event is planned forSeptember 18th.

Otter Creek Clean-up ProjectAddison County Community Trust $500Funds helped the Community Trust with clean-upsalong the Otter Creek this spring and summer.

LCBP

LCBP

CACs Award $63,000 to Local Groups

Representatives from theVermont YCC display theirLCBP Partner certificate.

New signs at Isle LaMotte’sReef.

CASIN’ THE BASIN

7

Lake Champlain has always been a valuableasset to the people of the Champlain Valley

region. As a result of the past military andcommercial use of the lake, there are manyartifacts on the lake’s bottom. Unfortunately,zebra mussels have recently begun obscuringmany of Lake Champlain’s shipwrecks creating aneed to quickly locate and study the underwaterartifacts.

Since 1996, the Lake Champlain MaritimeMuseum (LCMM) and other partners have beendeveloping a map of the Lake’s underwater worldto learn about the shipwrecks before they arecovered with zebra mussels. The LCMM hopes toincrease public awareness about the lake and todevelop a management plan to protect theunderwater sites.

Researchers estimate that 300 hundred ship-wrecks have occurred with hundreds of these stillundiscovered. The results of this survey willbenefit many members of the public includingstudents, archaeologists and historians. Theproject ties together cultural background infor-mation with the discoveries from the survey topiece together clues about the history of theactivities on the Lake.

Researchers use a side scan sonar survey, a diveteam and a remote operated vehicle to locate andidentify objects in the water. A side scan sonaremits sound waves and measures their reflectionfrom the Lake bottom to detect objects in theLake. Sonar images are then sent to a computerassisted mapping system so researchers can studythe results. If the depth is safe for humans (lessthan 180 feet deep), divers will investigate theobjects. A remote operated vehicle (ROV) is usedto reach depths of more than 180 feet. A ROV isequiped with a video camera that can be con-trolled from the boat to conduct visual searches.

During 1996, the research team investigated 10%of the lake’s total surface area. The team identi-fied over 300 cultural and geological sites, ten ofwhich had not been previously discovered. Fiveships that were investigated ranged in depthfrom 60 to 110 feet and were infested with zebramussels. It is estimated that 50% of the lake’shistorical shipwrecks lie within the reach ofzebra mussels, which is around 105 feet deep.

Some of the highlights of the dives include asailing canal sloop from the 1840s, a tugboatidentified as U.S. La Valle, a mid-nineteenthcentury wooden construction scow, and a latenineteenth century canal boat. The survey alsorevealed interesting geological characteristics ofthe lake bottom. Research is being conducted byThomas and Patricia Manley at MiddleburyCollege to further investigate the new geologicaldiscoveries.

In the past three years, 120 square miles havebeen mapped. The team plans to map 40 moresquare miles near Westport and Essex, New Yorkduring 1999. This project is planned to continueuntil the entire floor of the Lake Champlain ismapped.

The 1996 survey results are now available. Videofootage of the survey is available at the LCMMand the LCBP’s Resource Room at the ScienceCenter. Call the LCMM or the LCBP to purchasea copy of the 1996 final report.

The Lake Champlain Basin Program provided funding for this

project.

For more information: Lake Champlain Underwater Cultural

Resources Survey, Volume 1: Lake Survey Background and 1996

Results. Scott A. McLaughlin, Anne W. Lessman, under the

direction of Arthur B. Cohn, Lake Champlain Maritime

Museum. December 1998. LCBP Technical Report No. 28.

By Lisa Watts, LCBP Intern

1996

1997

1998

Underwater survey areas 1996 – 1998.

Underwater Survey Thanks for a GreatCelebrate the Lake!

From July 17th through July 25th theLake Champlain Basin Program’s 7th

annual Celebrate the Lake festival tookplace. The week’s events included naturehikes, canoe paddles, lectures, demonstra-tions, and cruises. This year’s festivalpresented 40 sponsors, hosting over 40activities. The Lake Champlain BasinProgram would like to offer its sinceregratitude to all the sponsors who helped tomake this week a fun and memorable one:

Adirondack CouncilAdirondack Nature Conservancy and Land TrustAdirondack Visitors Interpretive CenterAmerican LegionAusable Wildlife Management AreaBirds of Vermont MuseumBoquet River AssociationButton Bay State ParkCity of PlattsburgCrown Point Road AssociationEastern Mountain SportsEd Weed Fish Culture StationEssex Maritime Festival (Bill James)Grand Isle State ParkGreen Mountain Audubon SocietyGreen Mountain ClubLake Champlain Basin Science CenterLake Champlain CommitteeLake Champlain Transportation CompanyLake Champlain Land TrustLake Champlain Maritime MuseumLake Protection Advisory CommitteeLamoille County Nature CenterMissisquoi National Wildlife RefugeMissisquoi River Basin AssociationMount Independence State Historic SiteNorthern Vermont Resource Conservation

and Development CouncilNYS Bureau of Wildlife ManagementNYS Department of Environmental

ConservationPittsford National Fish HatcheryRokeby MuseumSheldon MuseumTiconderoga Historical SocietyUniversity of VermontUS Fish and Wildlife ServiceVT Department of Environmental

ConservationVT Department of Fish and WildlifeVT Institute of Nature ScienceVT Youth Conservation CorpsWashington and Saratoga County Soil and

Water Conservation Districts

By Leah Villemaire, LCBP Intern

LCMM

Plattsburgh •

Ticonderoga •

• Burlington

The LCMM is conserving the Confiance anchor,raised from Cumberland Bay in 1998.

Rattlesnake Mountain hike.LCBP

CASIN’ THE BASIN

8

Twenty New Cultural Heritage, Bikeways and Shoreline Public Access Projects UnderwayThe Lake Champlain Basin Program recently awarded$32,250 to 20 new cultural heritage, bikeways andshoreline public access projects. Supporting the effortsof local groups and communities working towardsenhanced cultural heritage and recreation opportuni-ties in the basin is a priority of the LCBP. All grantawards require a 25% match from the recipient. Moreinformation can be found on the LCBP website:www.lcbp.org.

Cultural Heritage Technical AssistanceProgram (TAP)Three new TAP awards totaling $2,250 have beengranted. TAP awards support engineering andarchitecture assessments, National Register documen-tation, downtown revitalization, and cultural heritagetourism.

Grange Hall Conservation AssessmentTown of Hyde Park, VT $1,000TAP funds will help the town prepare a conservationassessment of the former Grange Hall and prelimi-nary drawings for its future use as a county-widecultural center.

Peru Community Church Structural AssessmentPeru, NY $1,000A structural engineer will be hired to assess problemscausing a ceiling crack and outline solutions for therepair of this architecturally significant building.

South Main Street Historic District NominationWestport, NY Historical Society $250The Historical Society will use the TAP award tosupport the completion of a National Register nomi-nation for the South Main Street Historic District.

Bikeways Enhancement AwardsA total of $10,000 was awarded to nine new projectsalong the Lake Champlain Bikeways principal route ornearby local theme loops.

North Country Visitors Center - Bicycle AmenitiesPlattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce,Plattsburgh, NY $1,220At a visitor information center along the LakeChamplain Bikeways principal route, the Chamberwill add exterior equipment for bicyclists, such as abicycle rack and benches.

Richford Shuttle Bicycle RacksNorthwest Vermont Public Transit Network,St. Albans, VT $1,200The Northwest Vermont Public Transit Network willpurchase, assemble and install two bicycle racks ontheir buses between St. Albans and Richford, VT. Theracks are an important part of the Network’s plan tohelp provide alternative transportation service.

Champlain Islands Bicycle Parking FacilitiesChamplain Islands Chamber of Commerce, NorthHero, VT $1,200The Chamber will develop an incentive program forbusinesses to provide secure parking facilities forbicycle travelers by sharing costs of bicycle racksand/or hitching posts throughout Champlain Islandscommunities.

Adirondack Coast Bicycling Guide IIMoriah Economic Development Zone, Port Henry, NY$1,285Working with Adirondack Coast Bikeways, MoriahEDZ will produce a second edition of the AdirondackCoast Bicycling Guide for the 2000 season. The newguide will feature the original six loops, as well as six“new” loops which connect to the Lake ChamplainBikeways principal route.

Whiteface Mountain Bikeway Enhancement ProjectWhiteface Mountain Regional Visitors Bureau,Wilmington, NY $525The Visitors Bureau will purchase bicycle racks for sixlocations in the Towns of Jay and Wilmington,including the visitors center, two libraries, WilmingtonTown Beach, Wilmington Town Park and Jay VillageGreen.

Cyclists Rest Stop ProjectVillage of Keeseville, NY $785The Village of Keeseville will create two rest stops forcyclists as a pivotal point in joining bicycle loops fromPlattsburgh, Lake Placid, Ticonderoga and Burlington.Funding will be utilized to purchase two bicycle racksand a bench.

Cycle the City GuideBurlington Bikeways Inc., Burlington, VT $1,285New for the 1999 cycling season, “Cycle the City” isan interpretive bicycle loop that showcases the history,culture and natural splendor of Burlington. Funds willbe used to assist with printing costs for the 16-pageguide.

Accessible Bikeways ProjectLake Champlain Community Sailing Center andVermont Adaptive Ski and Sport, Burlington, VT$1,500LCCSC and VASS have teamed up to provide indi-viduals with disabilities the opportunity to easilyaccess and enjoy Burlington Bikeways. Funds will beutilized to purchase adaptive bicycle equipment andstaffing to assist people with the adaptive bicycles.

Vergennes Bicycle Parking ProjectCity of Vergennes, VT $1,000The City of Vergennes will purchase and install fourleaning bicycle rails along the Lake ChamplainBikeways principal route in three City parks, includingthe City Green, Falls Parks and MacDonough Park onhistoric Otter Creek.

Shoreline Public Access AwardsA total of $20,000 for eight new projects will be usedto enhance public access to Lake Champlain.

Mount Defiance Picnic and Observation ShelterFort Ticonderoga, Ticonderoga, NY, $1,000Fort Ticonderoga will construct a picnic and observa-tion shelter on top of Mount Defiance. In addition, thesite will include interpretive signs developed last yearwith support from the Lake Champlain PartnershipProgram.

Isle LaMotte Scenic OutlookTown of Isle La Motte, VT, $1,800Isle LaMotte will develop a scenic overlook on thewestern shoreline of the Island. The project involvesclearing fallen limbs, trimming trees, erecting ahandrail and installing a picnic table.

Cooke’s Island Recreation/Arts Center DevelopmentArts and Recreation Commission of Whitehall, NY,$3,600The Arts and Recreation Commission of Whitehall willbegin to establish a recreation/arts facility in a pre-1900s historic structure. The facility will include aninformation center, nature park and environmentaland historic education center.

Intervale Road River AccessIntervale Foundation, Burlington, VT, $2,100The Intervale Foundation will locate a canoe andkayak launch along the Winooski River. Improvementswill include road and parking lot upgrades, a 280'trail and a launch area.

Port Douglas Beach and Picnic EnhancementTown of Chesterfield, NY, $2,600Chesterfield will renovate the Port Douglas beach andpicnic area restrooms for persons with disabilities.Doorways will be enlarged and proper handles, grabbars and toilet ramps will be installed.

Georgia Recreation Area Boat Launch EnhancementTown of Georgia, VT, $4,200Georgia will utilize funds to replace an old dock witha new and improved 40' dock on wheels at the townboat launch. The Town will also replace two stairwaysand perform erosion control at the site using addi-tional funds.

West Haven Public Access ImprovementsTown of West Haven, VT, $2,700West Haven will create a new public access site at anunimproved strip of land along the lake, which wasrecently donated by The Nature Conservancy. Sitework will include grading, creating a small gravelparking area, and installing two gates and a floatingdock.

Adaptive Water Sports Program ImprovementsLake Champlain Community Sailing Center andVermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, Burlington, VT,$2,000LCCSC and VASS have teamed up to provide anadaptive water sports program for the disabled at aheavily used facility on the waterfront in Burlington.The team will utilize funds to create better access byimproving an existing dock and installing a classroomramp.

Peru Community Church.

Judy Gallingher

Coming Soon...

Two new LCBP fact sheets highlighting theBasin’s recreation and cultural heritageresources will be available this fall:

• Historic Sites on Lake Champlain

• Boating to State Parks and HistoricVillages on Lake Champlain

For a free copy call the LCBP at(800) 468-5227.

CASIN’ THE BASIN

9

B irders will want to flock to the proposed LakeChamplain Birding Trail. This highway-based

trail will unify and connect about 60 birdingsites along Lake Champlain’s shoreline anduplands in Vermont and New York. This projectwill help make the Lake Champlain region apremier national destination for birding, andwill add toexisting recre-ational, educa-tional andeconomic oppor-tunities. Al-though Texas andFlorida alreadyhave successfulbirding trails, theChamplain loopwill be thenation’s first bi-state birdingtrail. Organizershope to includeQuebec locationsas well. Whencompleted,uniform signswill identify birdwatching sitesalong the trail.

“Birding is oneof the fastestgrowing recre-ational pursuitsin the country,”said JenniferWaite, VermontProjects Directorfor the NationalParks Service-Rivers, Trails and Conservation AssistanceProgram. “It is a very ‘eco-friendly’ kind oftourism that will support businesses in bothVermont and New York, as well as build supportfor the conservation of our unique naturalresources around Lake Champlain.”

The George D. Aiken Resource Conservation andDevelopment Council, Inc. is assisting in projectadministration. A project steering committeebegan meeting in May, with representativesranging from state parks and fish and wildlifedepartments, to Audubon chapters, regional andcounty planning commissions and chambers of

Lake Champlain’sECO-PEERS Spin a Web

The Lake Champlain Basin Science Center haslaunched the newest phase of an exciting

technology based program. Eco-peers linksexemplary standards-based curriculum about theLake Champlain Basin with internet users worldwide. The progam was a year long effort fundedby a grant from IBM and Bell Atlantic.

“Eco-peers represents a new phase for the ScienceCenter,” said Julie Silverman, Program Director.“We brought together a select group of teachersto design Lake Champlain curriculum alignedwith the Vermont Framework of Standards andLearning Opportunities.The newly designedcurriculum incorporates technology tools, non-classroom sites and community resources.”

With curriculum consultant Amy Demarest, BillRomond of Vermont Institute of Science, Mathand Technology (VISMT) and Science Centerstaff, 12 teachers from eight schools spent thepast school year collaborating on this profes-sional development effort. In addition, resourcespecialists, including the LCBP staff, offeredassistance.

“The educators have incorporated the very bestof ‘place-based’ curriculum that offers studentsthe chance to meaningfully engage in the landand water that’s near them and build insightsthat leads to life-long stewardship,” summarizedAmy Demarest.

The curriculum units are scheduled to go on theScience Center’s website this fall. For furtherinformation, contact Julie Silverman at (802)864-1848.

Trailing Lake Champlain’s Birdscommerce. The National Park Service-RiversTrails and Conservation Assistance Program andthe Lake Champlain Byways Program are alsoproviding support.

“Many of the possible sites along the trail will beareas that already provide public access in a

manner designedto minimizehuman impacton habitat,” saidChristel Flis, oneof the projectcoordinators.“Participation inthe trail iscompletelyvoluntary.”

Input on pro-posed birdingsites has beenreceived fromconservationdistricts,Audubon chap-ters, local com-munities and avariety of othersources. Siteassessments arecurrently under-way. Potentialimpacts andrecommenda-tions for resourceprotection willbe included inthe assessments.

By November1999, the project steering committee hopes toreview the site assessments and begin workingon interpretive signs. Interested organizationsand individuals should contact Christel Flis orMary Jeanne Packer for further information at(802) 287-4284 or email birding@gwriters.com.The next steering committee meeting is sched-uled for September 16th. New members arewelcome.Funding for the birding trail has come from the Vermont RecreationTrails fund, the Lake Champlain Basin Program and the UVM ExtensionServices.

Lake Champlain Birding Trail

New York Hires Sea Grant Specialist

The Lake Champlain Basin welcomes the firstof two Sea Grant specialists! Mark Malchoff,a professional extension specialist with 15years experience, is the new Sea Grantspecialist at SUNY Plattsburgh. Malchoff hasextensive experience with fisheries manage-ment and restoration efforts. On day two ofhis new job, he attended the LCBP’s publicmeeting in Peru, NY to hear citizen concernsabout Lake Champlain.

The University of Vermont has initiated itshiring process for the Vermont Sea Grantposition which is expected to be filled thisfall.

Building upon existing programs in the LakeChamplain Basin, the National Sea GrantProgram has committed $427,000 to LakeChamplain over a three year period, withan additional $247,000 in matching fundspooled from New York Sea Grant, SUNYPlattsburgh and UVM. Both extensionagents are expected to work closely with theLake Champlain Basin Program as wepursue the implementation of Opportunitiesfor Action.

U P D A T E

LCBSC

CASIN’ THE BASIN

10

Staff Update

Bill Howland

Bill Howland is the BasinProgram Manager, a newposition for the program.Formerly the ExecutiveDirector of Green Moun-tain Audubon, Bill willmanage LCBP and willwork to strengthen part-nerships within New York,Vermont and Quebec. Billwill carry out the decisions of the LakeChamplain Steering Committee, the governingboard for the LCBP. In his new role, he will workclosely with the States of New York, Vermont andthe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Billhas a Ph.D. from McGill University specializingin biophysical remote sensing. He has more than10 years of teaching and research experience atMiddlebury College, the University of Vermontand McGill University. In addition, Bill hasexperience in state and city planning and theprivate sector.

Michaela Stickney

Michaela Stickney is thenew Vermont Coordinatorfor the LCBP. Michaelabrings 15 years of water-shed planning and naturalresource managementexperience that includesworking in five countries,three states and 20 Vermont towns. Most re-cently, Michaela worked on international water-shed and resource planning projects in EasternEurope including coordinating the LakeChamplain - Lake Ohrid Sister Lake Exchangewith partners from Albania and Macedonia. Priorto that she managed the Lake Champlain waterquality monitoring program for the State ofVermont. Michaela has an M.S. in naturalresource management from UVM’s School ofNatural Resources. She will work with manyVermont State agencies, non-profit organizationsand individuals to help incorporate their issuesinto Lake Champlain activities and serve as thestate’s liaison with New York and Quebec enti-ties. In addition, she willprovide staff support tothe Vermont CitizensAdvisory Committee.

Andrea Donlon

Andrea Donlon joined theLCBP as a technical internthis summer. In May, shefinished her master’sdegree in forestry at theUVM School of Natural Resources. Her thesisfocused on the transport of mercury from soils tostreams on Mt. Mansfield. Her project ties into alarger effort in the Lake Champlain Basin todetermine how mercury is traveling from theatmosphere to Lake Champlain’s food web.Andrea has worked on other atmospheric deposi-tion projects and studied best managementpractices in agricultural watersheds. She has alsoworked in Boston, MA and Washington, DC forenvironmental consulting firms on groundwaterprotection and Superfund site cleanup.

Leah Villemaire

Leah Villemaire internedwith the LCBP’s educationand outreach staff thissummer. Leah’s projectsincluded coordinatingCelebrate the Lake, assistingthe public in LCBP’sresource room and creat-ing an exhibit on bacterialcontamination and waterquality. Leah graduated last spring from TrinityCollege of Vermont with a dual degree in Biologyand Human Services. She is a Vermont nativewith an inherent love of Lake Champlain and adeveloped interest in its habitat and surroundingenvironment. Leah’s has a strong interest in thebiological sciences and preservation, and hopesto pass on this knowledge to others as well.

Lisa Watts

Lisa Watts helped LCBP’seducation and outreachstaff with exhibit designand assisted the public inthe resource room thissummer. Lisa is a senior atthe University of Vermontwith a double major inEnvironmental Studiesand Psychology. Sherecently finished a semester abroad in India withthe University of New Hampshire’ GeoCommonsprogram. The program includes courses inecology, sustainability, communities and spiritu-ality. Lisa grew up in Connecticut, where shespent several summers working as a lifeguard.Lisa has a real appreciation for water and wantsto work towards increasing awareness about theeffects of human behavior on water quality,specifically Lake Champlain.

Rachel Jablonka

Rachel Jablonka joined the LCBP in April. She isan Environmental Scientist for the US EPA(Region 2) in New York City and is their newrepresentative on the LCBP’s Executive Commit-tee. Rachel graduated from Tufts University witha B.S. in Biology, and Rutgers University with anM.S. in Environmental Science. She can becontacted at jablonka.rachel@epa.gov or (212)637-3853.

What Our Readers Think

Thanks to over 250 readers who responded toour first Casin’ the Basin reader survey! We

were pleased that most respondents had positivecomments on Casin’ the Basin and the LCBP. TheEducation and Outreach Committee will evaluatethe responses and make changes where appro-priate over the coming months.

Survey highlights:

• A majority of respondents (98%) feel thatCasin’ the Basin helps keep them informedabout Lake Champlain issues.

• Only 37% would subscribe to Casin’ theBasin at a cost of $6 to $8/year for 3issues.

• About 21% reported visiting the website and20% would read Casin’ the Basin on theLCBP website instead of receiving it in themail.

• About 95%, feel that the articles in Casin’the Basin are not too long or too technical.Just over a third (37%) feel that it shouldhave more technical or scientific articles.

• Casin’ the Basin is read mostly for waterquality issues, followed by living naturalresources, nuisance aquatics, recreation/tourism, project descriptions of LCBP grantrecipients, cultural heritage, grant opportuni-ties, program funding allocations andcommittee updates.

• A majority (59%) of respondents belong toorganizations involved with Lake Champlainbasin issues, such as advocacy groups,watershed groups and conservation commis-sions.

• Over a third are involved with LakeChamplain basin or water quality issues intheir employment and have also volunteeredon a project related to the Lake Champlainbasin or its rivers/tributaries. Activitiesincluded river clean-ups, water monitoringand fish or wildlife related projects.

CASIN’ THE BASIN

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Champlain 2000:People and Environment ofLake Champlain on TV

N ine new grants totaling $147,582 wereawarded to local organizations through the Lake

Champlain Basin Program’s Annual Priorities grantprogram. Annual priorities awards support projectsthat address issues in Opportunities for Action.

Watershed Restoration ProgramVermont Youth Conservation Corps $15,000Three Vermont Youth Conservation Corps crewsassisted basin communities with streambank, wetland,and habitat restoration. The crews also hostededucational programs this summer.

Lamoille County River Channel MorphologyAssessmentLamoille County Regional Planning Commission$15,250This project will assess the severity of river destabiliza-tion from recent floods and develop a plan to stabilizeportions of the Lamoille River watershed. The goal isto increase the expected success rate of restorationefforts in the basin over the long term.

Stability Assessment and Inventory of the Boquetand Ausable RiversBoquet River Association $22,860In cooperation with NYSDEC, BRASS and the AusableRiver Association will gather data for restoring streamstability in the Boquet and Ausable River basins whichhave experienced severe flooding in recent years.

Biological Control of Eurasian WatermilfoilCornell Cooperative Extension $14,400This project will support the biological control ofEurasian watermilfoil in Lincoln Pond. Researchersfrom Cornell University will introduce either weevils ormoths into the pond and document post and pre-treatment conditions.

Building Local Capacity for Managing StormwaterNational Wildlife Federation $11,650The Northeast Natural Resource Center of NWF willwork with VT ANR, a consulting firm and localwatershed groups to implement a workshop-basededucation program for local decision makers onstormwater management in Basin communities.

Missisquoi Basin Streambank RestorationMissisquoi River Basin Association $16,525The Missisquoi River Basin Association will continueits work to coordinate citizen involvement instreambank and river corridor restoration projects, aswell as river education efforts.

New Projects Awarded Support Local Implementation ofOpportunities for Action.

Stormdrain Stenciling and Community OutreachLake Champlain Committee $17,897The Lake Champlain Committee will stencilstormdrains around the basin to inform citizens abouturban stormwater runoff and pollution. LCC will alsodistribute information about pollution prevention,conduct community clean-ups, and present a series ofoutreach sessions.

Pollution Reduction ProjectFriends of the Winooski River/River Watch $9,000Friends of the Winooski River will work with localcitizens to compile river and stream buffer conditionassessments and to reduce pollution. FWR will alsoprovide volunteers for streambank restorationprojects, stencil stormdrains and produce a newsletter.

Poultney-Mettowee Watershed Partnership Develop-ment and CoordinationPoultney-Mettowee Natural Resources ConservationDistrict $25,000A new partnership in the Poultney-Mettowee water-shed will inventory and protect natural, cultural andeconomic resources, develop a watershed manage-ment plan, and conduct public outreach in New Yorkand Vermont.

Many organizations and Lake Champlainprojects will be receiving extra exposure

over the upcoming year. In May, WPTZ, the localNBC affiliate, announced that a new series wouldbegin airing on Monday nights on the 6:00news. Champlain 2000 is about the environmentand quality of life in the Champlain Valley, thepeople and projects that protect them and theactions and issues that may threaten them.While the LCBP issues regular press releases andworks cooperatively with all forms of media, thispartnership will feature many of the local organi-zations that work to improve Lake Champlain.

“The LCBP is about working in partnership withorganizations on both sides of the Lake toimplement Opportunities for Action. One of theeducation actions identified in the plan is tohelp the public learn more about issues affectingthe lake and provide them with hand-on oppor-tunities to get involved. Champlain 2000 willhelp implement that goal,” said Buzz Hoerr,Chair of the LCBP’s Education and OutreachCommittee.

To date, WPTZ has covered issues ranging frompesticide use on our lawns and gardens to theimpact of zebra mussels to how students arehelping to replenish the Atlantic salmon popula-tion in the Basin. In July, Key Bank becameWPTZ’s partner for Champlain 2000. The LakeChamplain Basin Program has agreed to provideadditional information on our website(www.lcbp.org) for each story that is aired so thatviewers may have easier access to the organiza-tions involved in each segment.

The Missisquoi River Basin Association working on a streambank restoration project.

MRBA

CASIN’ THE BASIN

12

Lake ChamplainBasin Program

R E S O U R C E S

Addison County Demonstration Project - AlternativeSewage Disposal Technologies. By installing andmonitoring four alternative on-site sewage treatmentsystems in Addison County clay soils, this studydemonstrates technologies that may be acceptable forsites having limited suitability for conventionaltreatment systems. February, 1997. $6.25

Background Technical Information for Opportunitiesfor Action: An Evolving plan for the Future of theLake Champlain Basin. Lake Champlain BasinProgram. June 1996. $9.00

Characterization of On-Farm Phosphorus Budgetsand Management in the Lake Champlain Basin. Thisstudy evaluates phosphorus inputs and outputs onseven dairy farms in NY and VT, characterizes thecycling of phosphorus, and assesses the efficiency ofnutrient use on the farms. April, 1997. $8.00

Casin’ The Basin is published three times a year bythe Lake Champlain Basin Program to inform the publicabout events and issues which affect the Lake ChamplainBasin. The public is encouraged to respond to informationpresented in this newsletter and can send comments to:

Editor - Casin’ the BasinLake Champlain Basin ProgramPO Box 20454 West Shore RoadGrand Isle, VT 05458

Material may be reproduced without permission, as longas credit is given. Casin’ the Basin is produced under anEPA grant # 001840-01-0, with financial assistance fromNEIWPCC and distributed free of charge as a publicservice. The views expressed in this newsletter do notnecessarily reflect the position of the EnvironmentalProtection Agency.

THE LAKE CHAMPLAINB A S I N P R O G R A M

The Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) was established to

coordinate the activities envisioned by the Lake Champlain

Special Designation Act of 1990. The LCBP is a government

funded initiative working in partnership with numerous coop-

erating agencies, organizations and individuals to develop

and implement the comprehensive pollution prevention, con-

trol and restoration plan for Lake Champlain. The program is

guided by the Steering Committee which represents a broad

spectrum of lake-basin interests and organizations from New

York, Vermont, and Quebec including local government and

citizen representatives, scientists, and state and federal agen-

cies. In addition, many individuals are involved in the plan-

ning process through advisory committees and interested citi-

zens participate through public meetings. The ultimate goal of

the LCBP is to insure that the Lake and its drainage basin will

be protected, restored and maintained so that future genera-

tions will enjoy its full benefits.

BASIN MAPS AVAILABLE

Lake Champlain Drainage Basin Maps are now available.The maps (24" X 32") highlight town, county, state andinternational boundaries within the drainage basin. Themaps also illustrate the principal surface waters, and theboundaries of major river basins which lie within the LakeChamplain basin. Cost $3.00.

recycled paper

Design: Don Hanson, Stowe, VTPrinting: Queen City Printers, Burlington, VTOur special thanks to Kelliher Samets for the creation of the name“CASIN’ THE BASIN”

Do you have a question or concern

about Lake Champlain?

Call toll-free:

1 - 8 0 0 - 4 6 8 L C B P

Lake Champla in Hot l ine○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Lake Champlain Basin Program Staff

Nicole Ballinger — Information and CommunicationsSpecialist, (802) 655-6382

Jim Connolly — New York Lake Champlain Coordinator,(518) 897-1216

Rachel Jablonka — EPA Coordinator, Region 2, U.S EPA,(212) 637-3853

Tricia Foster — Cultural Heritage Coordinator,(518) 597-4212

Barry Gruessner — Technical Coordinator(802) 655-6382

Colleen Hickey — Education & Outreach Coordinator,(802) 655-6382

Bill Howland— Basin Program Manager,(802) 655-6382

Kathy Jarvis — Administrative Assistant, LCBP,(802) 655-6382

Maja Smith — Recreation Coordinator,(518) 597-4464

Michaela Stickney — Vermont Coordinator,(802) 655-6382

Editorial Staff

Colleen Hickey — EditorNicole BallingerJim ConnollyAnita DemingMike DiNunzioBuzz HoerrBill HowlandMichaela Stickney

To obtain copies of the following or a com-plete LCBP publications list, contact the Lake

Champlain Basin Program, PO Box 204, 54 WestShore Road, Grand Isle, VT 05458 or call 1-800-468-LCBP or (802) 655-6382. Our fax number is(802) 655-6540.E-mail: LCBP@anrmail.anr.state.vt.usWeb site: http://www.lcbp.org

LCBP publications and other Basin informationcan be viewed at our Colchester offices or theResource Room at the Lake Champlain BasinScience Center, 1 College Street, Burlington, VT.Call us for hours of operation.

Cultural Heritage Tourism Survey and MarketingPlan. This study identifies the characteristics andexpectations of current visitors to Lake ChamplainBasin cultural heritage sites, identifies potential targetaudiences and makes specific recommendations for athree year marketing plan. January, 1997. Free

Cumberland Bay PCB Study. This study assesses PCBcontamination in Cumberland Bay and includesmonitoring of the Bay, the Saranac River and aportion of the main lake. October 1998. $5.00

Lake Champlain Basin Slide Show Presentation.LCBP staff is available to present a 20-40 minute slideshow on issues in the Lake Champlain Basin. Thepresentation can be adapted for any audience. Free

Lake Champlain Sediment Toxics AssessmentProgram: An Assessment of Sediment -AssociatedContaminants in Lake Champlain - Phase II. Thisreport details the results of a study on the toxicity ofsediments in three areas of concern in LakeChamplain: Cumberland Bay, Outer Malletts Bay, andInner Burlington Harbor. October 1997. $15.00

Lake Champlain Underwater Cultural ResourcesSurvey, Volume 1: Lake Survey Background and1996 Results. First in a series of annual reports onthe results of the underwater lake survey. December1998. $12.25

Long-Term Water Quality and Biological MonitoringProject for Lake Champlain. Cumulative Report forProject Years 1992- 1996. Documents the monitoringdatabase and provides a statisical summary of thesampling results from 1992-1996. March, 1998.$5.25

Opportunities for Action, An Evolving Plan for theFuture of the Lake Champlain Basin. LCBP’s final planrecommends priority actions for Lake Champlain.October, 1996. Free

Progress ’99. Reports the progress toward implemen-tation of Opportunities for Action: An Evolving Planfor the Future of the Lake Champlain Basin. June,1999. Free

A Sustainable Working Forest and CompetitiveWood Products Industry. This report explores thepossibility of establishing a manufacturing network toincrease the competitiveness of the wood productsindustry in the Lake Champlain Basin. July 1997.$4.00

Urban Nonpoint Pollution Source Assessment of theGreater Burlington Area. Urban Stormwater Charac-terization Project. This study examines the health ofstreams and riparian corridors, and evaluates bestmanagement practices in the Greater Burlington area.December, 1997. $5.00