Hello LSC. We are excited to let you know that field work on the Lake St. Catherine Watershed Action Plan will begin in mid May.

From the Vermont DEC and EPA: A Lake and Watershed Action Plan (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?' Watershed planning helps address water quality problems in a holistic manner by fully assessing the potential contributing causes and sources of pollution, then prioritizing restoration and protection strategies to address these problems.

This exhaustive study will assess the Lake St. Catherine watershed, including its: shorelines, roadways, tributaries, forests, wetlands, and in-lake conditions. The findings from the creation of the Lake Watershed Action Plan will guide our long term efforts to increase water quality, and will position Lake St. Catherine to secure future grants and Clean Water Funding to implement projects to benefit the lake.

This 3 year project will begin on May 16th, as representatives from the Lake St. Catherine Association (LSCA), the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District (PMNRCD), and our hired environmental consultant and limnologist take a tour of the lake to assess current shoreline conditions, and to take water and sediment samples. A follow-up paddle will then be scheduled to take a closer look at areas of concern identified during the initial tour.

Before we head out, we'd like to hear from you!

Some background: In 2018 and 2019, extensive field work by the PMNRCD and Fitzgerald Environmental Associates took place in the LSC watershed. The goal was to identify sources of increased stormwater runoff and associated sediments and nutrients flowing into the lake - and this resulted in the creation of the Lake St. Catherine Stormwater Master Plan (SWMP). Six initial projects were designed from the SWMP, and currently four have been implemented. Ten to twelve more projects will be designed this year.

Since the SWMP was created, we have learned of additional areas of concern around the lake from observations collected after storms, and from input from property owners. These areas have been initially investigated and photographed.

As we plan to tour the lake on May 16th, we'll be using previously collected information to take a good look at some areas, but we'd also like to hear from you. Where are your areas of concern for stormwater runoff around the lake? Let us know! Send us an email at info@lakestcatherine.org with the location, any information you can provide, and photographs if possible.

The Lake St. Catherine Watershed Action Plan is being made possible through a grant earned from the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP), and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC).

You can read more about the Lake St. Catherine Watershed Action Plan on our website here: https://lakestcatherine.org/lsc-watershed-action-plan

Give us a wave if you see us out on the lake on May 16th. Thanks!