Category Archives: Ecology

Ecology of Lake Champlain and how to protect our lake.

EPA Focusing on Farm Phosphorus Runoff For Lake Champlain Cleanup

Farm Phosphorus Runoff Targeted in EPA Findings

Last year Vermont proposed a Lake Champlain water quality improvement plan, as required by the Clean Water Act, to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). But the EPA’s pollution models showed that the plan would not restore the water quality to the state standards in either the South Lake and Missisquoi Bay watersheds.

 

“Those segments of the lake will require significant reductions,” ~ Dave Deegan, from EPA’s New England Regional Office.

farm phosphorus runoff</center>

Blue green algae blooms are caused by nutrients dumped into waterways by farm phosphorus runoff

 

Fertilizer runoff from farms will be targeted in these areas, state officials say. In some areas where agriculture accounts for most of the phosphorus flowing into lake, farmers will have to exceed current legal obligations to reduce runoff and erosion from their farms.

 

“Our presence is going to be increased. The actions on the part of farmers will be amplified,” ~ Chuck Ross, Vermont Agriculture Secretary

 

Vermont’s New Water Quality Bill

Vermont’s new Water Quality Bill calls for funding 8 new positions at the Agency of Agriculture, this year. According to Vermont Agriculture Secretary, Chuck Ross the agency will travel to these watersheds this summer to educate farmers about the legally required practices to prevent pollution.

Runoff from Farm fields

Unprotected farm fields yield topsoil as well as farm phosphorus runoff and other potential pollutants when heavy rains occur.

When those new efforts are not enough, he said the state will ask farmers to implement other measures that could include cover cropping, planting wider buffers between waterways, rotating different crops or taking land out of production. Ross said he expects some might choose to sell their farms instead of making the required changes.

But he added that the practices would be unique to each farm and targeted to those areas where they can improve water quality.

 

Farmers will have financial support this year for water quality protection projects. Last year the state received more than $60 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture grants over five years for conservation projects to prevent soil erosion and fertilizer runoff. Ross said there is also state and federal money available to help farmer put land into conservation and transition from one type of farming to another.

Vermont will offer a new plan designed to help curb phosphorus runoff from farms in these most polluted sections of Lake Champlain. The state hopes to provide the EPA with an updated plan in the next two weeks, according to David Mears, Vermont commissioner for the Department of Environmental Conservation.

 

Will The New Measures Meet the EPA Standards?

The EPA will review that updated plan before it issues a total maximum daily load value (TMDL) for public review and comment. A TMDL is the maximum amount of a pollutant a body of water can accept and still meet quality standards. The EPA also intends to work with Vermont and review the newly passed Water Quality Bill before issuing the TMDL value.

The Water Quality Bill sets a timeline for the agency to propose new rules to protect water quality. If signed into law, the agency would:

  • by July 2016 set standards including mandatory cover cropping, exclusion of livestock from waterways and requirement that manure spreaders be certified.
  • by July 2017 require that small farms be certified for compliance with water quality laws.

According to the EPA, the new legislation, in addition to other initiatives that state agencies are working on, create additional measures to reduce phosphorus and build a ‘sturdy foundation’ for restoring water quality in Lake Champlain.

 

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Great Lakes Scientists Warn of Microbeads Threat

Conference Addresses Microbeads Pollution

Great Lakes Scientists Warn of Microbeads Threat

Microbead

The 58th Annual Conference on Great Lakes Research was held in Burlington, Vermont last week. One of the key concerns addressed at the meeting is the danger posed to lakes by plastic pollution.

Experts claim that about 80% of the human-made debris found in the Great Lakes is plastic, that ranges from tiny microbeads to bottles and plastic wrap (‘Meeting in Vt., Lake Scientists Warn of Plastic Wastes’ – Times~Argus).

Microbeads, which have been used in cosmetics and household goods, can attract toxic chemicals, including pesticides and herbicides, which then find their way into the food chain according to the scientists.

Great Lakes Scientists Warn of Microbeads ThreatVermont recently banned the sale of products containing microbeads (see: ‘VT Legislators Looking to Ban Microbeads in Vermont‘ ), and New York State’s Attorney General has called for a ban in that state as well.

 

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Winooski Fish Lift Open

The fish lift at the Winooski One hydroelectric facility on the Winooski River is now operating for the spring season, providing expanded fishing opportunities for anglers.

Winooski Fish Lift

 

Springtime operation of the fish lift on the Winooski River, which begins in March and extends through mid-May, is a collaborative initiative focusing on moving steelhead rainbow trout above the Winooski One Dam and into the next section of the river.

“Lifted steelhead are released into the 1.3 mile section of river above the Winooski Dam and below the next dam, also known as Gorge 18… The Winooski River provides key habitat for a number of Lake Champlain fish species at various times during the year and we do our best to protect fish at sensitive times while also providing quality angling opportunities where we can. It’s definitely a balancing act, but one that is important to the lake, its fisheries and to anglers.” ~ Nick Staats, fisheries biologist with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

In an effort to protect spawning walleye and endangered lake sturgeon, fishing is not allowed between March 16 and May 31 on the section of the Winooski River below the Winooski Dam downstream to the first railroad bridge.

 

Winooski Fish Lift Open

The Winooski One Hydroelectric dam would have blocked spawning fish. A fish elevator was installed beside the Winooski Falls dam to help Winooski River fish get upstream to spawn. This elevator allows the fish to be transported beyond the two dams in existence further up the river. The fish are lured into a narrow compartment at the base of the dam; the water rushing through this compartment looks like a stream. The fish travelling upstream to spawn swim into this compartment and are unable to find a way out. The fish are raised by the elevator to the upper level of the Winooski River where they can spawn.

 

Winooski Fish Lift = Fishing Opportunites

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, in cooperation with Burlington Electric Department and Green Mountain Power, operate the fish lift to assist steelhead with their natural spring migration and also to increase angling opportunities on the stretch of river above the Winooski Dam that is open to fishing.

“Lifting steelhead above the Winooski Dam gives anglers the opportunity to fish for them in a section of the river that is legally open to angling. That being said, this is on a catch-and-release basis using artificial lures or flies only, until April 11 when Vermont’s traditional trout season opens up. After that, anglers are allowed to fish with natural baits and keep up to six steelhead per day.” ~ Brian Chipman, fisheries biologist with Vermont Fish & Wildlife.

The Winooski River is stocked annually with 20,000, 7 to 8-inch steelhead, in addition to 30,000 yearling salmon.

Additionally, anglers also have the chance to catch any landlocked Atlantic salmon that may still be in the upper sections of the Winooski River as a result of last fall’s spawning run.

  • As a reminder, anglers can visit www.vtfishandwildlife.com/lawsdigest.cfm to access the 2015 Vermont Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Laws and Guide that includes maps showing lakes and streams as well as fishing access areas and public lands.
  • The guide lists the fish species found in each body of water and includes the state’s fishing regulations. Copies are also available where fishing licenses are sold.

 

 

LCBP Awards $662,471 to Local Groups and Municipalities

The Lake Champlain Basin Program awards $662,471 in grants to communities and organizations in Vermont and New York for implementing projects to improve the future of the Lake Champlain watershed.

Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, whose support was essential in securing the funds for the grants, commented, “These grants to scores of communities, watershed groups and other organizations on both sides of the Lake are so important in promoting and protecting our ‘Great Lake.’ Supporting these crucial efforts at the local level is exactly why it’s always among my highest priorities to bring funds to our Lake Champlain work.”

“Local NGOs and municipalities will use these funds to complete projects in every corner of the Lake Champlain watershed,” said Bill Howland, LCBP Director. “Local watershed groups also serve as strong community leaders delivering an appropriate blend of persuasion, education and, now and then, kicking butt at the local level, to prevent phosphorus and other pollutants from entering the watershed, said Howland. “Some partner up with public works crews to identify specific opportunities to prevent erosion from ditches and municipal parking lots. Other watershed groups help landowners to restore eroded streambanks through riparian plantings, reduce contamination at local beaches, and create programs that help students understand watershed problems and implement solutions.”

Denise Smith, Executive Director of the Friends of Northern Lake Champlain, said “Thanks to LCBP, we will be able to implement a water conservation project at a key location in St. Albans Town, and we will be able to implement a direct outreach and education program about water quality to small and backyard farmers in our region. The partnership between LCBP and small local watershed groups in the Lake Champlain Basin is critical to the success of the Lake Champlain clean-up efforts and improving water quality in the State of Vermont.”

The LCBP grant searchable database summarizes all of the previous grant awards through the LCBP. Last year, for example, the Town of Moriah, NY used LCBP funds to stabilize an eroding shoreline in the Bulwagga Bay Campground where fine, sandy material would not readily support vegetative growth and was subject to severe erosion. Funds were used to create one of four engineered berms, 75 feet long, that contain soil amendments, trees, shrubs, and grass to stabilize the shoreline. “This area will now create habitat for wildlife, and the shade generated from the trees when they mature will benefit fish and other water organisms,” said Garrett Dague, Essex County Office of Community Resources. “This stabilization project was necessary to maintain a functional campground and public recreational facility, and will ultimately benefit the near-shore aquatic environment.”

With the Lake Champlain watershed containing thousands of miles of streambanks, including more than 680 main-stem miles along the largest rivers alone, a great deal of work still needs to be done. The LCBP encourages projects that promote citizen action to fix local problems such as stormwater runoff, improve recreational access, and proactively work to reduce the spread of aquatic nuisance species.
The total of all requests, some $1,081,635, indicates the very strong interest and need for local projects in the Lake Champlain Basin. The 68 grants to be awarded will support projects in four categories: Pollution Prevention and Habitat, Aquatic Invasive Species Spread Prevention, Education and Outreach, and Organizational Support. The latter category supports local watershed groups for basic operating functions such as developing their websites and increasing their capacity to offer technical support on water quality issues. Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership (CVNHP) grants totaling $22,500 were also awarded. The CVNHP grants will support three projects in which youth will assist in developing interpretive, non-motorized water trails.

The grants were supported with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Fishery Commission, and National Park Service funds. This year, the Lake Champlain Basin Program requested assistance from 26 members of the public, representing a wide diversity of watershed interests, to carefully review and rank the applications before making grant funding recommendations to the LCBP’s Executive Committee. Since 1992, the LCBP has awarded more than $6.5 million to 918 projects in New York and Vermont in the competitive Local Grants programs. Funded projects cover all actions in the Lake Champlain management plan Opportunities for Action.

Click Here to View Awarded Grants 

VT Fish & Wildlife Expanding 2 Wildlife Management Areas in Addison County

 

VT Fish & Wildlife Dept. Adds 95 Acres to Wildlife Management Areas (WMA’s)

Two northern Addison County Wildlife Management Areas have recently been expanded by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. Lower Otter Creek Wildlife Management Area in Ferrisburgh added 75 acres of previously posted land, and Lewis Creek Wildlife Management area in Starksboro added 20 acres of donated land.

VT Fish & Wildlife Expanding 2 Wildlife Management Areas in Addison County

Osprey flying over Lower Otter Creek WMA-
one of two wildlife Management Areas recently expanded by Vermont Fish & Wildlife

Lower Otter Creek WMA added 75 acres to the existing 738-acre property. The WMA consists largely of wetlands and floodplain forest near the mouth of Otter Creek. These wetlands and floodplain forests serve not only as quality waterfowl habitat, but also help to control flooding and improve water quality in Lake Champlain by mitigating the effects of nutrient loading into the lake.

The new acquisition opens up additional opportunities for bird-watchers and hunters to access land, as the new property had been posted against all access. The property contains deer wintering habitat and is considered high-quality habitat for the federally endangered Indiana bat.

“We’re excited to continue to expand Lower Otter Creek Wildlife Management Area, which is consistently a favorite destination for Vermont hunters and anglers. In addition to being popular with wildlife enthusiasts, protecting these forests and wetlands goes a long way towards improving flood resiliency and cleaning up Lake Champlain.”  ~ Jane Lazorchak, land acquisition coordinator for Vermont Fish & Wildlife.

About Lower Otter Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA)

Composed of 813 acres of wetland and floodplain forest near the mouth of Otter Creek in Ferrisburg, Vermont, the WMA is owned by the State of Vermont and managed by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department.

Boat access is via Otter Creek or Lake Champlain. There is a State boat access on Fort Cassin Road. Otter Creek is navigable by motorboat for several miles, as far as the falls in Vergennes. There is walk-in access for the parcel bordering Sand Road.

More Information and WMA map available at: Lower Otter Creek WMA

Another recent acquisition was the addition of 20 acres to the Lewis Creek WMA in Starksboro. Although small in size, the parcel contains three tributary streams of Lewis Creek and is mostly made up of mature hardwood forest. This recent addition is the result of a donation of land by two local landowners.

About Lewis Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA)

Starksboro is located in west central Vermont. Its 2,020 acres range from East Mountain to the top of Hillsboro Mountain, with elevations ranging from 900 to 2,500 feet. It is home to one branch of the headwaters of Lewis Creek.

Lewis Creek WMA is located mostly on the western slope of a small range of mountains that form the eastern side of the Lewis Creek Valley. It also extends east over the top of the ridge into the Huntington River drainage. In 2000, the 2,020-acre Lewis Creek WMA was expanded and connected with Huntington Gap WMA – forming a large contiguous tract of public land.

The State of Vermont owns the property and the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department manages it. There are parking lots at the tops of Little Ireland Road and Hillsboro Road. Hillsboro Road is suitable for four-wheel drive vehicles only.

More Information and WMA map available at: Lewis Creek WMA 

“We are pleased to accept this generous donation and thank these landowners for helping to preserve the future of Vermont’s wildlife and open spaces,” said Lazorchak.

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