Are you looking to take action and make a positive impact on the lake?

Help protect our valuable natural resource - Lake St. Catherine - through conscious decision making, and participate in the Lake Wise program!

Lake Wise was developed through the Vermont DEC and is meant to provide technical assistance for shoreline landowners looking to incorporate lake friendly living practices on their properties. The Lake Wise assessment focuses on four portions of your property; driveway, structure, recreation area, and shoreline. The follow-up report gives recommendations on which stormwater management practices would be best for your property and the lake.

Awards and certificates are given to properties that receive high scores during their assessment and demonstrate exemplary lake friendly living.

Your Essential Role Within The Watershed

Stormwater has a widespread environmental impact which makes it a growing concern in Vermont. In a statewide effort, towns and local organizations are working to implement large scale projects to help clean stormwater before it enters water bodies. Work is being done from the headwaters all the way down to the stream outlets.

As a shoreline property owner, you have the access and the ability to control what is happening directly at the water's edge.

While small-scale improvements on individual properties may not seem like they have much impact, collectively the implementation of many small projects will have a positive benefit on the water quality in the lake and the surrounding watershed.

Actions now will promote a healthy lake environment that will continue to support swimming, fishing, boating, and wildlife viewing in the future.

Go Native!

Vegetated buffers are one way to help control the stormwater on your property while enhancing your shoreline with beautiful native plants.

Buffers help to filter runoff, infiltrate stormwater, stabilize the soil, and prevent bank erosion. The ideal natural buffer is made up of five layers of vegetation: canopy, understory, shrub, ground cover, and duff layer.

THINK Slow, Infiltrate, and Filter

As stormwater travels across impervious surfaces it carries with it pollutants such as; pesticides, herbicides, oils, road salt, sediment, and nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen. These pollutants have a negative impact on water quality and local wildlife.

Excess nutrients in the water contribute to problems which affect both human and wildlife health including; lower oxygen levels in the water, toxic algae blooms, and excessive plant growth.

The Lake Wise Program on Lake St. Catherine

In the fall of 2019, the LSCA applied for, and received a grant from the Lake Champlain Basin Program to perform Lake Wise assessments on LSC. This grant also includes funds to perform work on your property to help you achieve the Lake Wise award for your property! We are happy to be working with the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District on this important lake project!

Last year, the Binghams earned the first Lake Wise award on LSC:

The Binghams are holding the Lake Wise award sign that you can display on your property.

Let's work together to make your property Lake Wise!

We have 5 more assessment slots that we can schedule in 2020. If you would like to participate and have a Lake Wise assessment for your property, please contact us at info@lakestcatherine.org to schedule an appointment.

For more information about Lake Wise, please click here to visit the DEC’s Lake Wise website.

Schedule your Lake Wise assessment today!