Category Archives: News

News and events around the Lake Champlain Valley of northern New York and Vermont and southern Quebec

1 million gallons of untreated wastewater into Lake Champlain tributaries

Rutland, Vergennes release over 1 million gallons of untreated wastewater into Lake Champlain tributaries

The cities of Rutland and Vergennes released more than 1 million gallons of untreated wastewater into Lake Champlain tributaries last week, an event that the EPA acknowledges violates federal law. State and local officials say they’re pursuing efforts that will over time eliminate such incidents, but funding for needed improvements in those communities and others is sparse.

 

untreated wastewater into Lake Champlain tributaries

 

Legislators are working on a bill that would strengthen reporting requirements for overflows like these, to better notify the public when sewage enters public waterways. The discharges, called combined sewage overflows, happen in communities where sewage and stormwater are sent through the same system of pipes, meaning heavy rain can overwhelm the wastewater treatment plant.

Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.addisonindependent.com

See on Scoop.it – Lake Champlain Life


Guns Over The Champlain Valley:
A Guide To Historic Military Sites And Battlefields
(Paperback)
Author: Coffin, Howard

The Champlain Valley is one of the most historically rich regions of the country. Fort Ticonderoga, Saratoga, Fort William Henry, Crown Point, Plattsburgh, Bennington and Valcour Island all lie along the ancient warpath that is the Champlain Corridor.
In this lively and informative new travel guide to historic places and events, the author leads you to each venue, describing the events and their long-lasting impact.  Adventure awaits you with Guns over the Champlain Valley.
Order Today

 

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2015 Peregrine Falcon Nest Monitoring Results  

Peregrine Falcon Nest Monitoring Results

2015 Eastern Adirondack/Lake Champlain Region Peregrine Falcon Nest Monitoring report 

New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation issued their annual report on peregrine falcon nest monitoring in the Lake Champlain and Eastern Adirondack regions.

DEC wildlife staff and volunteers monitored 26 peregrine falcon nesting sites during the 2015 breeding season. The sites were located along Lake Champlain and Lake George and throughout the Adirondacks.

According to  the report, they confirmed 16 of the 26 sites were occupied by territorial pairs of falcons and all but one of those pairs actively undertook nesting. Of the 15 confirmed active nesting pairs, nine successfully produced a total of 18 chicks. This equates to 1.2 young/breeding pair and 2 young/successful pair – an average level of production for this region. 2015 was slightly more productive then the last few breeding seasons.

Some highlights of the 2015 breeding season include the discovery of a new nesting site on Crane Mountain, from which 2 young peregrines fledged. Also, a single nest along Lake George produced 4 young peregrines (2 young is average for the Adirondacks), and another new nesting location along Lake George may have been discovered.

Some peregrine nests on rock climbing routes were successful this year, especially in the southern part of the region. Nest failures on other rock climbing cliffs were thought to be from factors other than human disturbance, such as the above average precipitation received during the month of June, and the presence of young or inexperienced falcons in some locations. DEC officials report that the cooperation of rock climbers has been important to the success of the monitoring effort.

2015 Eastern Adirondack/Lake Champlain Region Peregrine Falcon Nest Monitoring report 

The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), also known as the peregrine, or duck hawk is a bird of prey in the family Falconidae. It has a blue-grey back, barred white underparts, and a black head. The peregrine is renowned for its speed, reaching over 200 mph during its characteristic high speed dive, or hunting stoop, making it the fastest member of the animal kingdom.

The peregrine can be found nearly everywhere on Earth, except extreme polar regions, very high mountains, and most tropical rainforests. This makes it the world’s most widespread raptor.

A copy of the full 2015 Eastern Adirondack/Lake Champlain Region Peregrine Falcon Nest Monitoring report can obtained by e-mailing a request to info.R5@dec.ny.gov.

 

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Great Benson Fishing Derby

The Great Benson Fishing Derby 

 

Great Benson Fishing Derby

Great Benson Fishing Derby

The Great Benson Fishing Derby is Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 20-21 on all Vermont waters and Lake Champlain.

Derby headquarters is Crystal Beach on Lake Bomoseen. The Derby features $10,000 in cash prizes.

Purchase $25 tickets at HQ or in advance at Tom’s Bait & Tackle in Bomoseen, Hawk Hill Gun & Tackle in Brandon, and other area bait shops. Sponsored by the Fair Haven Rotary Club. Hotline day of event is 802-273-FISH

 

 

Vehicle through Ice on Lake Champlain Near Swanton, VT

Vehicle Through Ice Near Campbell Bay

Vermont State Police say divers are on scene of where a car went through the ice on Lake Champlain in Swanton.

Police said someone may have been trying to drive across the ice from Campbell’s Bay to Grand Isle County when the vehicle fell through the ice. Police are trying to find out if the driver is still in the car.

Swanton police received a call about a missing person around 11 p.m. Saturday. Police say law enforcement agencies eventually found the car in the water.

Ethan Allen: His Life and Times
is the story of one of Vermont’s
most famous citizens.Written by
Willard Sterne Randall this book
sheds a new light on one of
Vermont’s founding fathers.
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Lake Champlain Boat Launch Stewards- Positions Available

Lake Champlain Boat Launch Stewards Sought by NEIWPCC- New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission 

Lake Champlain Boat Launch Stewards Sought by NEIWPCC

Skill Level: Entry level

Position Type: Part Time

Position Overview

The Lake Champlain Basin Program and NEIWPCC are seeking part-time boat launch stewards to deliver interpretive invasive species spread prevention messages to boaters on Lake Champlain during the summer of 2016.

 

Responsibilities

Boat Launch Stewards will interact with the public and gather lake-user information on tablets while greeting visitors to Lake Champlain and familiarizing the public with invasive species information.

Stewards will be requested to work eight-hour days for approximately thirty-two hours per week at select boat launches around Lake Champlain from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Stewards will be required to work all weekends.

Time off by prior arrangement can be accommodated during this period.

Mandatory training will be held May 23 -25, 2016 in Grand Isle, Vermont and Paul Smiths, New York.

 

Qualifications

The successful candidate will be well organized and have excellent communication skills, experience speaking with the public, demonstrated data collection and recording skills using a tablet, and field work experience.

Basic familiarity with boaters, anglers, and recreational equipment will be useful.

Highly motivated individuals with familiarity with invasive species and/or water recreation experience are encouraged to apply.

 

Lake Champlain Boat Launch Stewards

About  NEIWPCC- New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission

Established by an Act of Congress in 1947, the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC) is a not-for-profit interstate agency that utilizes a variety of strategies to meet the water-related needs of our member states-Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. 

NEIWPCC serves and assists our states by coordinating activities and forums that encourage cooperation among the states, developing resources that foster progress on water and wastewater issues, representing the region in matters of federal policy, training environmental professionals, initiating and overseeing scientific research projects, educating the public, and providing overall leadership in water management and protection.

NEIWPCC is a leader in forming strong bonds between the New England and New York State environmental agencies, and is unique in its ability to bring diverse interest groups together, create forums for collaboration, and educate with innovative products. For well over six decades, the Commission has managed interstate water conflicts by means of sound science, coordination, and adaptation.

 

To Apply  

Please use the email address below to send a letter of interest including a description of relevant experience, and the names and contact information of two or more references by March 4, 2016.

In the email subject line, please reference: Position #16-LCBP-002. 

Contact Information:  jobs@neiwpcc.org

Lake Champlain

This 128-page softcover book features stunning historical images from the archives of Lake Champlain Maritime Museum and other regional collections, and includes chapters on Patriotic Sites and Celebrations; Commerce in the Canal Era; The Age of Steam; Crossing Lake Champlain; Recreational Boating; Summer and Summer Folk; Hunting and Fishing; and Winter. ‘Lake Champlain’ tells the story of this historic, busy commercial corridor and recreational destination.

Buy Here

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