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The Latest News From The Lake St. Catherine Association


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  • 26 Mar 2025 9:22 PM | Jerremy Jones (Administrator)

    Hello LSC. We’d like to share some concerning info with you about a recent discovery at the Fish & Wildlife Public Access in Wells involving an aquatic invasive species (AIS).

    In October of last year, the AIS Golden Clams, scientific name: Corbicula fluminea, (previously called Asian Clams) were discovered in southern Lake Champlain at the South Bay Boat Launch. In November of 2024, multiple agencies in NY and VT met to discuss this finding, and what actions should be taken. Based on Lake St. Catherine’s proximity, and high-use of the public access, it was determined that LSC was an at-risk location, and was designated to be surveyed.

    On November 19th, 2024, a Vermont DEC team performed a sieve survey at the public access on Lake St. Catherine. Although they did not discover any Golden Clams, they did find a Zebra Mussel shell, scientific name: Dreissena polymorpha, next to the southern side of the dock.

    Zebra Mussel shell found at Lake St. Catherine
    Zebra Mussel shell found at Lake St. Catherine.

    Location of Zebra Mussel discovery at Lake St. Catherine
    Location of Zebra Mussel discovery at Lake St. Catherine.

    Zebra Mussels on a native mussel
    Zebra Mussels on a native mussel. Photo by Megan Weber.

    Based on this finding, the DEC team returned to the lake on November 25 to perform additional surveys of the area including visual inspection of the dock and underside of the dock, the boat ramp, and out into the lake. Net tow samples were also collected to analyze for veligers (Zebra Mussel larvae, which would represent reproduction occurring).  

    Thankfully, no additional Zebra Mussels, or veligers were discovered.

    Based on these initial findings, we are hopeful that this shell did not represent a viable Zebra Mussel, and it was only a dead mussel that fell off of a boat or equipment when docked.

    From the Federation of Vermont Lakes and Ponds excellent page on Zebra Mussels, Zebra Mussels are highly reproductive, and can quickly establish large populations and outcompete native species for food and habitat, and they can:

    • clog water intakes and other pipes, (management costs in electrical power and other water-consuming facilities amount to several hundred $M per year)

    • attach to boat motors and boat hulls, reducing performance and efficiency,

    • attach to rocks, swim rafts and ladders where swimmers can cut their feet on the shells,

    • attach to and smother native mussels and clams, and

    • eat tiny food particles that they filter out of the water, which can reduce available food for larval fish and other animals. (They are responsible for the near extinction of many species in the Great Lake system by outcompeting native species for food and by growing on top of and suffocating the native clams and mussels.)

    We do not want these getting established in Lake St. Catherine.

    However, studies show that Zebra Mussels can sustain themselves and reproduce in lakes that have calcium levels around 20 mg/l or higher. Lake St. Catherine was recently tested for calcium levels, and it was found to be under 13 mg/l. Just up the road from us at Lake Bomoseen, Zebra Mussels are established there, and reproducing. Lake Bomoseen’s calcium level was found to be just under 20 mg/l (Lake Bomoseen also has Golden Clams). Live Zebra Mussels were found in Lake Dunmore in 2018 at their public access and removed. The calcium level in Lake Dunmore has been found to be around 8 mg/l, which made the Zebra Mussels discovered look grey, instead of their distinctive alternating light and dark zigzag stripe pattern. Follow up testing has not found additional Zebra Mussels or veligers in Lake Dunmore. 

    The DEC will return to Lake St. Catherine in the spring to perform some additional tests and surveys. Also, our DASH team will survey the area when they begin operations in the spring.

    While our lower calcium level gives us a bit of protection from Zebra Mussels, we need to be vigilant when dealing with them and other AIS that could potentially infest the lake. This is why our Greeter and Vermont Invasive Patroller (VIP) Programs are so important. 

    Our Greeters inspect boats for AIS as they enter and exit the lake, but we only have enough funding and personnel to cover the public access on Friday - Sunday from Labor Day to Memorial Day, along with holidays and fishing tournaments. Also, boats and other vessels can be launched at other areas around the lake. It is critically important to “Clean, Drain, Dry” vessels and equipment that will be going into the water to prevent the spread of AIS.

    The VIP Program paddles areas where vessels would be launched, like at the public access, at the State Park, and at Wells Lakeside Park using underwater viewers to look for potential new introductions of AIS. This program is an early warning system for finding new AIS that have made their way into the lake so they can be quickly addressed. 

    We are hiring paid Greeters ($20/hr) for the 2025 season. If you are interested in working for the Greeter Program, please reach out to us at info@lakestcatherine.org. You can learn more about the Greeter Program on LSC here.

    The VIP Program is a volunteer initiative. If you like paddling, and would like to learn more about the lake, please reach out to let us know you’d be interested in participating at info@lakestcatherine.org. You can learn more about the Vermont Invasive Patroller (VIP) Program on LSC here.

    What can you do to help protect the lake from AIS? Become a member of the LSCA, volunteer, keep an eye on your shoreline and be sure to Clean, Drain, Dry any vessel coming in contact with the lake. This applies to everyone on the lake, but especially this spring to the folks on the Channel near the public access, please check your shoreline, and inspect your dock. Do you feel or see small bumps as shown in the photo below? These are Zebra Mussels at a very early stage, and they are very small. If you see these, or anything else that may be concerning - let us know - we’ll come right out to take a look.

    Small Zebra Mussels on a stick
    Small Zebra Mussels on a stick.

    We’d like to thank the DEC for their efforts!

    We’ll be sure to keep you up-to-date with any new information. Thank you.

  • 23 Mar 2025 4:10 PM | Jerremy Jones (Administrator)

    From iced in to whitecaps, just like that.

    Congrats to Nancy Williams with her guess of today at 2:30 in the 2025 Ice Out contest!

    Bring on the sunny days...

  • 14 Mar 2025 12:52 PM | Jerremy Jones (Administrator)

    Hey there LSC, we wanted to let you know that local artist Peter Huntoon has posted on his website the painting he created during the Art & Nature Libraries Love Lakes Fall Event at Wells Lakeside Park on Little Lake back in October.

    Peter Huntoon "Lakeside Park" painting of Little Lake at Lake St. Catherine, Vermont.

    You can see it here: https://www.peterhuntoon.com/painting/lakeside-park/ - and Peter has prints of the original painting available.

    Libraries Love Lakes (librarieslovelakes.org) is an outreach project pairing libraries with lake scientists to provide collaborative programming emphasizing the importance of lakes to our everyday lives. The ongoing partnership between the Wells Village Library and LSCA was funded by education and outreach grant through the Lake Champlain Basin Program (lcbp.org).

    This event focused on Art & Nature and encouraged attendees to use the inspiration of the beauty of Little Lake to express themselves creatively. This was the fourth and final Libraries Love Lakes event in 2024.

    You can see some of the other art created on this day here in our recap: https://lakestcatherine.org/blog/13421121

    The LSCA and Wells Village Library hope to hold additional Libraries Love Lakes events in 2025.

    We thank Peter for participating, and for creating this beautiful painting of the lake!

    Peter Huntoon painting at Lake St. Catherine, Vermont.

  • 11 Mar 2025 12:08 PM | Jerremy Jones (Administrator)

    Hello LSC!

    Are you ready for Spring - and getting excited for another fantastic season at Lake St. Catherine this year?

    Let's have a little fun and make some predictions for when the ice will go out.

    Last year was the earliest ice out recorded at LSC on March 7th. This year, we actually had a winter, and the ice has been pretty solid since mid January.

    Please fill out the form linked below to make your guess.

    Note: Since the ice is good at hanging around in some of the bays for quite a while, to simplify things this year, we'll use open water in the middle of the Big Lake to make the call on the date & time for ice out. Let's say if you could drive a boat from the western shore to Cones Point.

    The winner will be crowned "LSC 2025 Ice Out Champion" and will have bragging rights all year!

    Will your name be added to this list of previous Ice Out Champions?

    • In 2024, with his guess of March 7th at 12:00 PM, the 2024 Champ was John Sargent.
    • In 2023, with his guess of April 9th at 12:43 PM, the 2023 Champ was Tim Olivieri.
    • In 2022, with her guess of April 4th at 11:03 AM, the 2022 Champ was Mary-Sue Reed.
    • In 2021, with his guess of April 2nd at 2:30 AM, the 2021 Champ was Walter Huss.
    • In 2020, with his guess of March 23rd at 3 PM, the 2020 Champ was Melvin Ohl.
    • In 2019, with her guess of April 15th at 6 AM, the 2019 Champ was Judy Cummings.

    Click here to make your guess - and good luck!

    Predict Ice Out Day 2025

    2025 Predict Ice Out Day on Lake St. Catherine Form

  • 5 Mar 2025 8:10 AM | Jerremy Jones (Administrator)

    Good morning LSC.

    On Tuesday, March 4th, 2025, the residents of Wells and Poultney voted to provide $12,000 and $15,000, respectively, in support of the Lake St. Catherine Association's mission of the preservation, protection and maintenance of Lake St. Catherine.

    We'd like to thank the good folks of both towns for their continued support!

    These funds help us manage and fund important programs that include: aquatic invasive species (AIS) prevention and control: our boat launch Greeter Program, VIP Program, Milfoil Control Program, and water quality improvement programs: Lake Wise, LSC Stormwater Master Plan, Lake St. Catherine Watershed Action Plan, and maintaining lake buoys and markers.

    You can read more about our efforts for the benefit of Lake St. Catherine here in our 2024 Year In Review on our website:

    https://lakestcatherine.org/blog/13443222

    Grants, membership dues and contributions from the lake community, and allocations from our Towns make up the majority of our funding. If you'd like to help, please consider becoming a member or making a donation for 2025. The LSCA is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization.

    Thanks again to the residents of Wells and Poultney!

    Thank you from the Lake St. Catherine Association

  • 12 Feb 2025 12:33 PM | Jerremy Jones (Administrator)

    Good afternoon LSC, we'd like to share a recording of the Lake St. Catherine Watershed Action Plan Update Meeting from last evening. Thank you to all who attended!

    The LSCA would like to thank Hilary Solomon & Sadie Brown from the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District (PMNRCD), Evan Fitzgerald from Fitzgerald Environmental Associates, Professor Andrew Vermilyea from VSU Castleton, and limnologist Emily Porter-Goff for their continued hard work on the LSC LWAP, and their participation in the meeting last night. A tremendous amount of effort has gone into this project, and we are excited for the final plan and the positive impact it will have for Lake St. Catherine.

    We are excited about the completion of the LWAP, which will be in mid-2025. At that time, we'll schedule an in-person meeting to introduce it the lake community.

    You can watch the recording of last night's update meeting here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5reV_5dahM

    Please let us know if you have any questions or comments at info@lakestcatherine.org.

    Thank you!

  • 7 Feb 2025 5:05 PM | Jerremy Jones (Administrator)

    Hello LSC, we unfortunately have some very sad news to share with you.

    Long-time LSCA Trustee Frank Callahan passed away at his home on the lake on January 26th.

    Many in the lake community know Frank from his numerous years of working to maintain and deploy the lake's safety markers and buoys, and working with his 'Buoy Buddies' around the lake.

    For many years, Frank also taught the boating safety education course so folks of all ages (12 and above) could earn their boater education card to be able to operate a motorized vessel. As a former teacher, he looked forward to administering these classes each year, and interacting with everyone in the lake community to help them pass the class. Over the years, he helped hundreds of people earn their boating card.

    As a Trustee, a neighbor, and a friend, Frank was always willing to help out in any way he could, and always with a smile. He will be missed.

    Services for Frank will take place at a later date - we'll let you know when they have been scheduled.

    You can read more about Frank's life, and share a memory here:

    https://www.robertsaubinfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Frank-L-Callahan?obId=35635440

    The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region in Rutland, VT or to your local Hospice.

    LSCA Trustee Frank Callahan teaches a boating safety class.
    Frank teaching a boating safety class in Poultney.

  • 3 Feb 2025 7:58 AM | Jerremy Jones (Administrator)

    On Tuesday, February 11th, at 7 PM, the LSCA and the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District will be holding a meeting to update the lake community on the progress of the Lake St. Catherine Watershed Action Plan, and to select 3 projects identified in the plan to move ahead to the design stage.

    In 2021, the LSCA applied for and earned a grant with the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) to create a Lake Watershed Action Plan (LWAP) for Lake St. Catherine. Work began in 2022, and the final plan will be completed by the end of June 2025.

    An LWAP is designed to identify and communicate the problems and fixes within a lake watershed to best protect water quality, wildlife habitat, and the lake’s ecosystem health. These plans answer the questions 'what issues threaten the health of our lake the most?' and 'what can we do about them?'

    PMNRCD, Fitzgerald Environmental Associates, Professor Andrew Vermilyea from VSU Castleton, limnologist Emily Porter-Goff, the Vermont DEC, and the LSCA have put a tremendous amount of effort into this project, and we are excited for the final plan and the positive impact it will have for Lake St. Catherine.

    We hope you can join us on Tuesday, February 11th at 7 PM for this online meeting to hear a quick update on the LWAP, and to help us select the first 3 projects to be designed.

    The meeting will be held online via Google Meet, and here is the link:

    LWAP Lake Community Meeting
    Tuesday, February 11 · 7:00 – 8:00pm

    Google Meet joining info:

    Video call link: https://meet.google.com/fmv-gxgm-iwn
    Or dial: ‪(US) +1 323-641-3303‬ PIN: ‪571 183 591‬#

    A future meeting in the Spring will be scheduled to introduce the completed Lake St. Catherine Watershed Action Plan. 

    We hope to see you on February 11th!

    Lake St. Catherine Vermont

  • 31 Jan 2025 8:00 AM | Jerremy Jones (Administrator)

    On Friday, February 7th, at 12 PM, the LSCA and Community Science Coordinator Dana Williams from the Vermont Center for Ecostudies (VCE) will be having a chat about VCE's Loon Conservation Project - and you are invited.

    With all the excitement of our nesting pair of loons proudly parading their chick around the lake last summer, we know that LSC went looney for loons in 2024! So, we'd like to invite you to participate in this chat so you can loon more about loons, and what VCE is doing and planning for their Loon Conservation Project.

    About the meeting from VCE:

    We’re looking forward to when the loons return in just a few months and as we’re getting ready for the new season we’re excited to explore opportunities to expand the loon project. This is partially because we have some additional minds joining us from the Vermont Center for Ecostudies staff.

    We’re hoping that some of these opportunities will help us spend more time in the field, help you get loon updates faster, and help everyone learn more to conserve Vermonts’ loons. While we have some ideas about what would be helpful for us on the research side of things, we want to make sure we hear from you since your collaboration in the project is crucial to its success.

    To this end, we would like to invite you to have a meet and greet conversation with Dana Williams to share what you love about the loon project, any challenges you have faced participating in the loon project and what opportunities you would be interested in seeing us pursue for the future.

    The Meeting will be held online via Google Meet, and here is the link:

    Loon Discussion With Dana From VCE
    Friday, February 7 · 12:00 – 1:00pm

    Google Meet joining info:

    Video call link: https://meet.google.com/jaq-dvqb-gfj
    Or dial: ‪(US) +1 669-238-0306‬ PIN: ‪500 528 169‬#

    Please join us on February 7th!

    Loons with chicks on Lake St. Catherine, Vermont - Photo: Karen VelsorPhoto: Karen Velsor

  • 8 Jan 2025 7:56 AM | Jerremy Jones (Administrator)

    We are very happy to report that the LSCA has earned the Healthy Ecosystems - Aquatic Invasive Species Spread Prevention and Management Grant from the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) for $25,000 to be used for our Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting Program (DASH), and our Greeter Program at the public access boat launch in Wells.

    These funds will help to partially fund these very important programs in 2025.

    About the Greeter Program:

    Our Greeter Program is very important to the health of Lake St. Catherine. Our Greeters have been trained to identify aquatic invasive species (AIS) - like spiny waterflea, golden clams, water chestnut, starry stonewort and zebra mussels - to stop them from entering LSC at the boat launch in Wells. They also educate boaters about the importance of looking for these invasives on their boat or trailer so they are not spread to LSC or another lake. Each year, they do a fantastic job checking vessels and educating the lake community on the dangers of invasive species for Lake St. Catherine. They are on duty from Memorial Day through Labor Day - working on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They also cover holidays and fishing tournaments.

    LSCA Greeter Program

    About the DASH Program:

    Our DASH crew suits up in scuba gear and hand-pulls milfoil by the roots from the lakebed. In sections of lower milfoil density, they will swim the area and hand-pull with mesh bags. In higher density areas, they will set up the DASH equipment which allows them to suction the hand-pulled milfoil up through a tube to a catch table on a boat. Milfoil is then placed in 17.5 gallon buckets for transport off the lake.

    LSCA DASH Program

    Thank you to the LCBP!

    The LSCA will continue to work on bringing grant funds to Lake St. Catherine this winter. We are awaiting word on another grant that has already been submitted, and we will be applying for another in February.

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