Log in

The Latest News From The Lake St. Catherine Association


  • 22 Dec 2023 12:10 PM | Jerremy Jones (Administrator)

    LSCA's 2023 Year in Review continued...

    The 11th Annual LSCA Boat Parade

    We had another great boat parade this year!

    14 boats registered, 12 participated, and 177 people voted online for their favorite boats in our 4 categories: most patriotic, funniest, most original, best overall. 

    Our winners were:

    Most Patriotic:

    Winner: Boat #3 - 4th of July / Fireworks - Joseph Cheslawski

    LSCA's 11th Annual Boat Parade

    Funniest:

    Winner: Boat #11 - Sunnyside 5th Generation - Megan Caswell


    Most Original:

    Winner: Boat #1 - Unidentified Floating Object - The Goldman Family


    Best Overall:

    Winner: Boat #6 - Groovin On The Lake 2.0 - Christine & MIke Gay


    Thank you to all who participated, to those who cheered from their boat and from the shore, and to everyone who voted! We are looking forward to our 12th year in 2024! Thanks to Karen Velsor for these excellent photos!

    LSCA’s Annual Meeting & Dinner

    The LSCA held our Annual Meeting & Dinner on Saturday, July 22nd, at the Lake St. Catherine Country Club. 

    We had a packed house of approximately 100 attendees! It was great to see so many folks interested in preserving, protecting, and maintaining beautiful Lake St. Catherine. Thank you to all who were able to attend! We hope you enjoyed our guest speakers Pat Suozzi from FOVLAP and our Game Warden Justin Turner's presentations, our presentation, your dinner, and catching up with your lake neighbors. 

    If you were unable to join us, you can view the full presentation on YouTube:

    Lake St Catherine Association's Annual Meeting & Dinner - 7/22/23

    If you have any questions about the presentation, or would like to share your feedback, please let us know - you can always reach us at info@lakestcatherine.org - and we'll get right back to you.

    Thanks to the LSC Country Club and their staff for hosting us - and providing a wonderful dinner, Justin and Pat for their informative presentations, and our State and local government officials: Senators Collamore and Williams, Representative Chesnut-Tangerman, and Don Preuss from the Wells Select Board for joining us.

    LSCA's 2023 Annual Meeting & Dinner

    East Poultney Day

    The theme for East Poultney Day this year was “Lakes, Mountains, and Summer” and focused on beautiful Lake St. Catherine!

    We had our usual spot set up for the day on the green, and had great conversations with those in the lake community who stopped by our booth. It was great to see and speak with so many good folks who care so much about Lake St. Catherine.

    LSCA at East Poultney Day 2023

    We were also very happy to be asked to give a presentation at the event tent about Lake St. Catherine and the LSCA by the Poultney Historical Society. 

    LSCA at East Poultney Day 2023

    PEGTV was there to record the happenings at East Poultney Day, and our presentation was included in the video from the day, and you can watch that here: 88th East Poultney Day - August 12th, 2023.

    Vermont Invasive Patrollers (VIP) Program

    On August 19th, the first Vermont Invasive Patrollers (VIP) paddle took place on Lake St. Catherine. The focus of this program is early detection of aquatic invasive species (AIS) before they can become established in a waterbody.

    From the DEC: The VIP program was established by the VTDEC in 2007 to focus on early detection of all known and potential aquatic invasive species (AIS). Although VIPs now emphasize aquatic invasive plants more broadly in their surveying efforts, they are trained to identify both aquatic invasive plants and animals that are either established in Vermont or in nearby states and pose the greatest threat to Vermont’s water bodies.

    First - a THANK YOU to our participants: Kim, Gloria, Marcia, and Steve. We appreciate you all taking part in our first paddle - we hope you enjoyed it!

    On this first introductory paddle, we used underwater viewers to find and identify many of our native plants, while keeping an eye out for invasive plants or animals around the boat launch. Patrolling the boat launch is a great place to kickoff this program, as it is a high-risk area for invasive species introduction.

    We of course found some of our common natives like elodea, Robbins' pondweed, and white water lily, and the invasive eurasian watermilfoil.

    But we also found some of our more interesting ones... we found:

    • american eel-grass - with the female plants having a coiling stem which resembles a corkscrew

    • watershield - which has floating, elliptical shaped leaves that have a clear jelly-like undercoating

    • ribbon-leaf pondweed - which has two different leaf types: submerged long and slender grass like leaves and floating, elliptical leaves. 

    As part of this Vermont DEC program, we filled out a report with our findings for the day.

    We'll plan VIP paddles in 2024. If you enjoy paddling, and would like to learn more about LSC’s native plants, and help to keep an eye out for new invasive species, we hope you’ll join us. If you'd like to learn more about this new program on LSC, please visit the VIP page on our website: https://www.lakestcatherine.org/vermont-invasive-patrollers. Let us know if you’d like to participate next season by emailing us at info@lakestcatherine.org.

    This is a GREAT addition to our invasive species control and prevention initiatives which includes our Greeter Program.

    If you'd like to learn more about the interesting aquatic plants in LSC, check out the book "Aquatic Flora of Northern New England" by Donald J. Padgett. It contains great photos and descriptions of native (and invasive) aquatic plants that you'd find in LSC.

    "Aquatic Flora of Northern New England" by Donald J. Padgett.

    LSCA Marks 70th Anniversary

    August 31st, 2023 marked the Lake St. Catherine Association's 70th anniversary!

    A lot has changed over those 70 years, and the LSCA has evolved to meet new challenges over that time. As you’ll read below, the LSCA has updated its original stated purpose a few times as the needs of the lake have changed, and to focus on the responsibility of stewardship.

    Back on August 31st, 1953, the founding Trustees of the Lake St. Catherine Association submitted our Articles of Association with the stated purpose of “…encouraging, and promoting the development and beautifying of the grounds, cottages, beaches and roads of privately owned homes and cottages on or near Lake St. Catherine...”

    LSCA marks 70th anniversary

    On August 28th, 1980, the LSCA’s Trustees submitted an Amendment of Articles of Association to update our purpose. It was changed to “The purpose of this corporation is the promotion of the common good, general welfare and civic betterment of the Lake St. Catherine community by restoring and maintaining the quality of Lake St. Catherine, a public body of water, and the surrounding area, for the benefit of all those people who visit and use the lake and for the benefit of the total environment of all people.”

    Then on July 30th, 2011, the LSCA’s Trustees submitted another Amendment of Articles of Association which updated our purpose to what it is today, and instituting our 501c3 non-profit status: “The purpose of this corporation is to be a public charity to receive donations, grants or contributions and to utilize its income and assets for the preservation, protection, and maintenance of Lake St. Catherine, a public body of water in the State of Vermont, and its environs.”

    What started in 1953 as a well-intentioned group of folks promoting the beautification of the grounds of Lake St. Catherine has evolved into an association of dedicated volunteers planning for the long-term future and health of the lake.

    As we acknowledge this occasion, we also reflect back to think of those who started this great organization. We sincerely hope that they would be proud to see what the Association has grown into.

    So, as we mark our 70th anniversary, cheers to those founding members of the LSCA, to those who have served in the past, and to our current 15 Trustees who continue to work to preserve, protect, and maintain beautiful Lake St. Catherine!

    LSCA marks 70th anniversary

    Dockside Chats

    Dockside Chats began in 2020 as a way to have safe, face-to-face interactions with members around LSC to discuss lake related issues during COVID. We invited lake residents to schedule a Dockside Chat with a LSCA Trustee who would meet you at your dock to chat about the lake. These were again very popular in 2022, so we continued the program this year. 7 Dockside Chats were scheduled this year. Let us know if you’d like to get a chat scheduled for next season by emailing us at info@lakestcatherine.org.

    LSCA's Dockside Chats

    Lake St. Catherine Stormwater Master Plan

    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. Phosphorus reducing projects are of particular importance given the water quality concerns within the watershed. The work involved identifying sources of stormwater, prioritizing sources based on various environmental, economic, and social criteria, and designing projects to mitigate those sources. This resulted in the creation of the Lake St. Catherine Stormwater Master Plan (SWMP). 50 potential sites were identified, and as of today, 6 projects have been implemented. Projects have recently been completed on Quinn Cove and Ferncliff Road.

    In 2022, we were informed that we had earned part of a $100k grant being administered by the PMNRCD from the LCBP. $50,000 of this grant will be used directly for Lake St. Catherine to design Stormwater Master Plan Projects on LSC. The goal of this grant is to develop 10-12 projects identified in the Lake St. Catherine Stormwater Master Plan to be ready for implementation and submitted to our region’s Clean Water Service Provider for funding. 

    Our Project Team, consisting of the LSCA, PMNRCD, Fitzgerald Environmental, and local partners, identified a list of the remaining high and medium priority projects and presented those to the lake community at a meeting at the Wells Town Hall in September. 12 projects from the SWMP were selected by attendees and will move ahead into the design phase. They include projects on: Clayton Tract, RT 30 (near Cluckin’ Chicken), the end of Cones Point Road, Lochlea Lane, West Lake Road, (south of the Lighthouse), West Lake Road (near Idylwild), Channel Drive, and a grouping of issues on Ferncliff Road. This was an extremely productive meeting, and we thank all attendees for your participation, input and enthusiasm to make this project a success!

    Fitzgerald Environmental will now develop 30% conceptual designs to address these issues. Included with the conceptual designs will be detailed budget estimates, anticipated permitting needs, and preliminary landowner agreements or letters of interest. 

    You can read more about the SWMP, and view an interactive map with the identified sites by visiting our Stormwater Master Plan page.

    LSCA Stormwater Master Plan Meeting

    LSCA & PMNRCD Interviewed For Public Affairs Show Catamount Community Connection

    The LSCA was happy to be asked to participate in a public affairs show hosted by Senator Brian Collamore called Catamount Community Connection. This edition featured an interview with the Lake St. Catherine Association (LSCA) and Poultney Poultney Mettowee Natural Resource Conservation District (PMNRCD) and it aired the morning of October 1st, on 98.1 WJJR Rutland.

    Jerremy Jones from the LSCA and Hilary Solomon from the PMNRCD had a great discussion with Senator Collamore about the projects and programs our organizations are working on, and how we are working together on numerous preservation and protection initiatives for the lake and the Lake St. Catherine watershed.

    Thank you to Senator Collamore and to Catamount Radio for this opportunity to speak about these important topics for the lake community and all in the Poultney Mettowee conservation district.

    You can listen to it here on YouTube: Catamount Community Connection - WJJR - October 1st, 2023.

    LSCA & PMNRCD interviewed on Catamount Community Connection

    LSCA Newsletters

    Our traditional Spring and Fall newsletters were posted digitally on our website, and printed copies were made available at Wellsmere Farm in Wells (thanks Michelle!). If you missed them when they were released, you can read them here:

    Keeping You Up-To-Date Via Our Website & Facebook Pages

    When we have Lake St. Catherine news, we like to inform the lake community as soon as possible by posting it on our website Blog, and on our Facebook page. So, keep an eye on these sites for all the latest information on LSC. We also send out news summaries via email updates to our members who have shared their email with us - so please be sure to provide your email address when you become a member!

    If you are not a Facebook user, you can still view our Facebook posts on the homepage of our website.

    Grants - Working To Bring Funding To Lake St. Catherine

    The LSCA has been working hard throughout 2023 to bring grant funds to Lake St. Catherine for 2024.

    In July, we learned that the Libraries Love Lakes initiative at Lake St. Catherine will continue. Based on the FANTASTIC ideas and grant proposal created by Wells Village Librarian Gina Ellis, the Lake St. Catherine Association and the Wells Village Library were awarded an Education & Outreach grant for $20,360 by the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) for a series of initiatives and events in support of Libraries Love Lakes!

    Libraries Love Lakes is an outreach project which pairs school and public libraries with lake scientists to provide collaborative programming emphasizing the importance of lakes in our everyday lives.

    Last year, the inaugural Libraries Love Lakes event took place on July 3rd at the Wells Lakeside Park. Nine presenters offered opportunities for stewardship-based, hands-on, lake-related learning, and families were given lake-themed kits that included numerous books and activities. Boat tours were also provided to get attendees out on the lake to learn more about beautiful Lake St. Catherine. This effort also led to the creation of a new section in the Wells Village Library called "The Lake St. Catherine Collection."

    This new Libraries Love Lakes project is entitled: "Libraries Love Lakes II: Conveying an Understanding of How Lake St. Catherine Fits to the Broader Watershed in order to Promote Inter/Intra-Community Collaboration and Sound Stewardship," and it is chock-full of fun and educational activities!

    Libraries Love Lakes II includes:

    • The creation of an interactive watershed model of Lake St. Catherine

    • The creation of a Lake St. Catherine mascot through community participation

    • Expanding "The Lake St. Catherine Collection" at the library

    • Four seasonal themed, hands-on, fun & educational events for winter, spring summer & fall, which will include a larger summer event at the Lake St. Catherine State Park

    Work on this project will begin in December, with the first event based on the winter theme taking place in February 2024.

    As you read earlier, in early December, we learned that we earned a grant for $18,592 for the 2024 Lake Wise Program from the LCBP, which will be our 6th year for Lake Wise on Lake St. Catherine.

    We will also be applying for a grant from the State of Vermont for AIS prevention and control to help fund our Greeter and Milfoil Control Programs, and an Organizational grant from the LCBP to purchase water testing equipment. This new equipment will allow us to take additional and constant water readings, along with macroinvertebrate monitoring. This data, along with the Lay Monitoring data from the State, will be analyzed and reported on by our limnologist. We’ll let you know how we do!

    Thank You For Your Support!

    Finally, thank you to all those in the lake community who showed their support of the LSCA in 2023 by being a member, or making a donation, or volunteering, or participating in Lake Wise, or attending meetings, or helping to clean up milfoil - there are so many ways we can all contribute! We hope you found our efforts in 2023 for Lake St. Catherine to be worthy of that support.

    2024 is going to be another busy year, and LSCA Trustees are hard at work getting ready. 

    Be on the lookout for our Membership Drive which will begin in early February. We hope to earn your support so we can continue to all work together to preserve, protect, and maintain beautiful Lake St. Catherine.

    Happy Holidays, and we’ll see you at the lake soon,

    - The Trustees of The Lake St. Catherine Association


  • 13 Dec 2023 12:23 PM | Jerremy Jones (Administrator)

    Good afternoon LSC.

    Hot off the press, we have some great news about Lake Wise on Lake St. Catherine for 2024!

    We've just learned that we've earned a grant from the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC) for a Clean Water Small Implementation Grant for $18,952 for the 2024 Lake Wise Program!

    Lake Wise is a program developed by Vermont’s Lakes and Ponds Program to recognize outstanding efforts by homeowners who live along a lakeshore to protect the water quality and habitat along the shoreline and within the near-shore area of the lake.

    Thank you to LCBP and NEIWPCC for helping to fund our 6th year of Lake Wise on LSC!

    ...and THANK YOU to our partner the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District (PMNRCD) for their continued great work and dedication to this program for Lake St. Catherine!

    2022 Lake Wise Award Winner - Steve and Marcia Turcina - Lake St. Catherine2022 Lake Wise Award Winners - Steve & Marcia Turcina (and neighbor dog Boone)

    If you would like to participate in this fantastic program, or have your property reassessed in 2024, please email us at info@lakestcatherine.org to reserve your spot - spots will fill up quickly.

    This program is FREE to property owners. PMNRCD will make project recommendations to you based on their assessment, and will work to implement the projects you select from those recommendations.

    You can read all about the Lake Wise Program on LSC on our website here: https://lakestcatherine.org/lake-wise-program, including an interactive map showing the Lake Wise properties around LSC.

    Email us to get on the list for 2024.

    Thank you!

    EPA, LCBP, NEIWPCC logos

  • 21 Nov 2023 12:02 PM | Jerremy Jones (Administrator)

    The Lake St. Catherine Association would like to thank the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) and the State of Vermont's Aquatic Nuisance Control (ANC) Grant-In-Aid Program for helping to partially fund important components of our aquatic invasive species (AIS) prevention and control programs which include our newly launched Vermont Invasive Patrollers (VIP) Program, our Greeter Program, and our Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting (DASH) Program.

    Vermont Invasive Patrollers (VIP) Program

    The VIP program was established by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in 2007 to focus on early detection of all known and potential aquatic invasive species before they can become established in a waterbody. Early detection is vital to protecting Lake St. Catherine from harmful invasive plants and animals. Volunteers participating in the VIP Program will monitor Lake St. Catherine for new introductions of invasive species and report their findings to the DEC. If a new invasive is discovered, the DEC will dispatch a team and work with the LSCA to organize an effort to remove it from the lake.

    In late August, members of the LSCA and 4 volunteers performed the first VIP paddle at the boat launch in Wells. On this first introductory paddle, we used underwater viewers (purchased as part of the LCBP grant) to find and identify many of our native plants, while keeping an eye out for invasive plants or animals around the boat launch. Patrolling the boat launch is a great place to kickoff this program, as it is a high-risk area for aquatic invasive species introduction. 

    We'll perform more VIP paddles in 2024. We hope you'll join us - it was a lot of fun! If you'd like to learn more about this new program on LSC, please visit the VIP Program page on our website to learn more.

    Greeter Program - Boat Launch Monitoring

    Our Greeter Program is very important to the health of Lake St. Catherine. Our Greeters have been trained to identify aquatic invasive species - like spiny waterflea, asian clams, water chestnut, starry stonewort and zebra mussels - to stop them from entering LSC at the boat launch in Wells and the State Park in Poultney. 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.

    In total, our Greeters inspected 1,149 boats this year at the boat launch in Wells, and at the State Park in Poultney. This is around 800 less than the number of vessels they inspected last year. Boat launches were down in 2023, most likely due to numerous rainy weekends this season.

    Milfoil Control Program

    Each season, the LSCA implements a Milfoil Control Program to keep milfoil in check in Lake St. Catherine using a combination of spot herbicide treatments and DASH (Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting).

    The LSCA’s Milfoil Control Program consists of four components:

    1. ‘Stop The Spread’ education and outreach. Our ‘Stop The Spread’ campaign educates boaters and property owners on best practices to limit the spread of milfoil. Each year, the LSCA holds a lake community meeting to discuss the control plan for the season, answer questions, and hand out a flyer with best practices for lake users to limit the spread of milfoil.

    2. Volunteer milfoil cleanup. Throughout the season, we organize volunteers to collect detached floating milfoil from the lake and deposit it on our designated drop off platforms. The milfoil is then picked up from the platforms and disposed of. We also encourage boaters and property owners to remove any milfoil they see in the lake while boating or on their shoreline.

    3. DASH - Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting. 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.

    4. Herbicide spot treatments with ProcellaCOR EC. In order to maximize our DASH crew’s time, effectiveness, and number of acres covered, one of our control methods includes spot treatments with the herbicide ProcellaCOR EC (we did not perform a spot treatment in 2023).

    Although not directly related to Milfoil Control, the LSCA's work on Lake Wise on LSC, the LSC Stormwater Master Plan, and the LSC Watershed Action Plan all help to limit phosphorus and other nutrients from entering the lake which can contribute to excessive plant growth, and improves overall water quality.

    Our DASH crew started their work early in the summer by swimming and hand-pulling milfoil in less dense areas, and began full DASH operations on July 1st, and worked into September. Over this time, the DASH crew removed 1,057 (17.5 gallon) buckets of milfoil from the lake, covering just over 65 acres in 5 areas of the lake.

    Lake St. Catherine - DASH 2023

    These vitally important programs for Lake St. Catherine are partially funded through grants earned by the LSCA from the LCBP and the State, with the majority of the funding coming through generous donations and membership dues from the lake community.

    THANK YOU to the LCBP, the State, and all those who have contributed to the LSCA this season to help make these programs a success.

    EPA, LCBP, NEIWPCC logos

  • 13 Nov 2023 8:19 AM | Jerremy Jones (Administrator)

    Hello LSC.

    We'd like to take some time today to inform you about some recent activity in the Vermont Legislature that could have an impact on the Lake St. Catherine Association's Milfoil Control Program.

    As you may be aware, the Vermont legislature has created an Aquatic Nuisance Control Study Committee with the passing of Act 57 (H.31). From the Act 57 Committee’s website:

    "The Aquatic Nuisance Control Study Committee was created to assess the environmental and public health effects of the use of pesticides, chemicals other than pesticides, biological controls, and other controls in comparison to the efficacy of their use in controlling aquatic nuisances recommendations regarding whether and when pesticides, chemicals other than pesticides, or biological controls should be used to control aquatic nuisances in Vermont in a report to the VT General Assembly on or before December 15, 2023."

    As introduced, the intent of H.31 was to institute a 'moratorium' on pesticide use  (notably carving out an exception to allow lampricide use to control lampreys in Lake Champlain), along with the creation of a study committee to summarize pesticide use, safety, effectiveness, use recommendations, and impact on non-target species.

    Many lake associations, including the LSCA, the Federation of Vermont Lakes and Ponds (FOVLAP), and the DEC testified against this bill which looked to eliminate one of the safe and effective tools available to control Eurasian watermilfoil (milfoil, EWM).

    Thankfully, the 'moratorium' was removed, but the scope of the study committee was expanded, and the bill was passed. The study committee will now additionally look at the existing Vermont statute permitting herbicide use (10 V.S.A. § 1455), and make recommendations for changes, if any. Study committee members include representatives from the DEC, Fish and Wildlife, Department of Health, a UVM Aquatic Biologist, a UVM Public Health Expert, and a member from the State House and State Senate. 

    Members of the LSCA have been attending the public meetings of the study committee, and we have submitted comments to them. We urged them to consider the tremendous amount of volunteer effort put forth by lake associations like the LSCA, as we work to preserve, protect, and maintain Lake St. Catherine and Vermont's lakes and ponds for all Vermonters and our visitors through our aquatic invasive species prevention control efforts, and our numerous water quality improvement projects. We asked that changes they propose, if any, to the already rigorous permitting process, will be based on the facts and the science, and not by those who seek to influence the process by providing misleading and false information, and that lake associations continue to have access to regulated, safe, and effective use of herbicides as a tool to maintain control of Eurasian watermilfoil in infested waterbodies.

    As mentioned above, there has been a lot of misinformation about milfoil, ProcellaCOR, and the permitting process in online postings, newspaper commentaries, and during testimony given during the H.31 hearings.

    So, we'd like to share a few publications and webpages with you which deal directly with this recent misinformation, while also providing fact-based information about milfoil, milfoil control, ProcellaCOR, and the permitting process. We hope you will give them a few minutes of your time.

    1. Vermont DEC White Paper: "Permitting Aquatic Herbicide Projects in Vermont"

    The Vermont DEC describes that the purpose of this document is to:

    • Provide background information about DEC’s Aquatic Nuisance Control (ANC) permitting program, with a specific focus on aquatic herbicide projects;
    • Identify some of the recent findings related to ProcellaCOR; and 
    • Provide a Q&A section on this topic reflecting common questions that DEC receives about our ANC permitting program
    Permitting Aquatic Herbicide Projects in Vermont


    2. Vermont DEC Presentation: "ANC Permitting 101"

    This presentation goes into great detail about the lengthy and rigorous process lake associations like the LSCA goes through to apply for a permit, what it takes to receive a permit, and what conditions and reporting requirements are included in approved permits. It also discusses the ongoing work that is needed on a yearly basis after the permit is approved.


    ANC Permitting 101


    3. Federation of Vermont Lakes and Ponds Webpage: "Eurasian watermilfoil"

    This new webpage from FOVLAP talks about what milfoil is, what it does when it's introduced into a lake, prevention and early detection, control, and an FAQ section which deals directly with recent misinformation on milfoil, ProcellaCOR, and the permitting process you may have come across online or in newspaper commentaries.

    Eurasian watermilfoil

    4. Federation of Vermont Lakes and Ponds White Paper: "The Case for an Accessible Path for Vermont Lake Associations to Use ProcellaCOR to Control Invasive Milfoil"

    This white paper was recently submitted to the Act 57 study committee. We thank FOVLAP for their work on this document as they make the case that the permitting application and review process remains rigorous but without unjustified new burdens. 

    The Case for an Accessible Path for Vermont Lake Associations to Use ProcellaCOR to Control Invasive Milfoil

    An increasing share of the burden of preserving Vermont’s lakes and ponds falls on the volunteer associations, who must address a host of challenges to ensure the protection and the long-term health of these vital Vermont aquatic resources. Currently, management of invasive milfoil is Vermont’s most pressing AIS problem. The current regulations governing this management provides a means to manage milfoil with a high but sustainable cost and with a bearable permitting burden.

    Ongoing action is needed to care for and protect Vermont lakes and ponds from the threat of milfoil and other AIS. The Act 57 Study Group’s recommendations for changing herbicide use permit regulations should carefully consider the concerns of the volunteer organizations who are passionately devoting time and resources to milfoil management. The State of Vermont has the statutory responsibility to preserve the public waters of the state. This common goal leads to a vital partnership between the State and the associations. An effective partnership can improve lake health, avoid loss of lakeshore property values, and continue to attract the robust tourist economy that Vermont lakes and ponds provide.

    If the Act 57 Study Committee findings result in a delay or in significant changes to the permitting process that make the process yet more complex and burdensome, many milfoil infested lakes with active, successful, long term management programs (like Lake St. Catherine) could be negatively impacted, as they seek ANC permit renewals for ProcellaCOR. There would be similar negative impacts to those lakes that will, out of necessity, newly seek herbicide permits to control growing infestations.

    We ask that you take some time to read through these resources. If you'd then like to take a step to help support the LSCA, and other lake associations that are working to control milfoil infestations, please consider writing in to the study committee to show your support of the LSCA, and let them know that lake associations should continue to have access to regulated, safe, and effective use of herbicides as a tool to maintain control of Eurasian watermilfoil. Comments can be sent to the study committee by sending them to this address: anr.wsmdlakes@vermont.gov with 'Act 57 Study Committee' in the subject line.

    As mentioned above, the study committee's report is due on December 15th.

    If you have any questions, please reach out to us, we'd be happy to discuss these issues with you. Email us at: info@lakestcatherine.org.

    Thank you for your support of the LSCA!

  • 17 Oct 2023 12:02 PM | Jerremy Jones (Administrator)

    Hello LSC.

    As you may have heard, back on Saturday. September 30th, someone completely destroyed the Welcome to Lake St. Catherine sign, and a memorial slate plaque for Martin Greenberg at the bottom of North Street.

    A plaque was placed there in memory of Martin when he passed away in December of 2018. Unfortunately, Martin's plaque was also completely destroyed.

    LSCA Trustee John Belnavis reached out to Sheldon Slate, who produced the plaque for us back in 2018, and they were able to recreate it for us:

    New plaque for Martin Greenberg - donated by Sheldon Slate

    We'd like to thank Sheldon Slate, and especially Pete & Karen, for reproducing Martin's plaque, and for very kindly donating to the LSCA.

    THANK YOU!

    You can read more about Martin, and his contributions to Lake St. Catherine and the LSCA here: "Longtime LSCA Trustee Martin Greenberg Passes Away".

    The LSCA is currently working on designs for a new sign. We'll share those with you when we are a bit further along in the process.

    You can read more about the hit and run destruction of the sign here. Based on reported observations, it happened between 7:30 AM and 8 AM on the morning of September 30th. Based on parts left behind, the car was a blue 2000-2005 Toyota RAV4, which would have parts missing from its front bumper. If you have any additional information you can provide, please let us know.

  • 15 Oct 2023 5:38 PM | Jerremy Jones (Administrator)

    Our Game Warden Justin Turner sent us this final summer update about Game Warden patrols at the lake to pass along to the lake community. He has been providing updates throughout the season, and this is his sixth and final update for the season.

    We thank Justin for his work, and providing these updates to the lake community!

    Justin's Report:

    "Game Wardens conducted approximately 100 vessel inspections on the lake this summer, the majority of which resulted in a pass and a sticker. To date, there were not any boating incidents that required an immediate response. One arrest was made for boating while intoxicated. The majority of violations were addressed with a warning and education, and significantly less were addressed with civil tickets.

    The State Park was busy with campers and call volume for complaints was nearly nonexistent.

    The brown trout fishing seemed to pick up as summer came to an end, with the occasional lake trout hitting the net. If you’re going to be out targeting brown trout during the “frost bite” season or any other target species for that matter, please remember your safety equipment. Life jackets save lives.

    The LSC patrol boat will remain ready and operable for the coming weeks. As the local Warden, it was nice to meet many people on the water and I look forward to seeing you all next summer, if not sooner. As always, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

    Lastly, as deer season is upon us, if you witness a wildlife crime or see poaching activity, please do not hesitate to contact Warden Turner directly at 802-595-8754 or through Vermont State Police dispatch at 802-722-4629. In the event you wish to remain anonymous, you can call the toll-free hotline: 1-800-75-ALERT (1-800-752-5378). The toll-free hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to report wildlife violations or visit this link if you wish to remain anonymous via online submission:

    https://vtfishandwildlife.com/hunt/hunting-regulations/operation-game-thief

    Thank you and be safe."

    Thank you to Justin for working to keep us all safe on the lake, and for providing these updates throughout the season!

    You can read more about boating rules, and how to contact Justin on our Lake Safety page here: https://lakestcatherine.org/lake-safety

    Game Warden Justin Turner on Lake St. Catherine

  • 1 Oct 2023 1:18 PM | Jerremy Jones (Administrator)

    The episode of the public affairs show hosted by Senator Brian Collamore called Catamount Community Connection featuring an interview with the Lake St. Catherine Association (LSCA) and Poultney Poultney Mettowee Natural Resource Conservation District (PMNRCD) aired this morning, October 1st, on 98.1 WJJR Rutland.

    Jerremy Jones from the LSCA and Hilary Solomon from the PMNRCD had a great discussion with Senator Collamore about the projects and programs our organizations are working on, and how we are working together on numerous preservation and protection initiatives for the lake and the Lake St. Catherine watershed.

    Thank you to Senator Collamore and to Catamount Radio for this opportunity to speak about these important topics for the lake community and all in the Poultney Mettowee conservation district.

    You can listen to it here on YouTube:

    Check it out!

  • 1 Oct 2023 1:10 PM | Jerremy Jones (Administrator)

    Hello LSC, we have some unfortunate news to share.

    On Saturday morning, September 30th, someone completely destroyed the Welcome to Lake St. Catherine sign, and a memorial slate plaque for Martin Greenberg at the bottom of North Street.

    Based on car parts left behind at the scene and some observations from folks around the lake, it appears that the vehicle was a blue 2000-2005 Toyota RAV4, and the sign was hit between 7:30 and 8 AM.

    If you have any info that you can provide, please let us know, and we'll send that along to VSP for their investigation. Also, keep an eye out for a blue RAV4 with front bumper damage.

    We have already started planning for a new sign, and we'll have more info soon.

    Thanks again to the Kings for all the hard work they provide to maintain and make this area look beautiful for all of us.

    LSCA Welcome to Lake St. Catherine sign destroyed

  • 24 Sep 2023 1:12 PM | Jerremy Jones (Administrator)

    Hello LSC.

    The Lake St. Catherine Association and the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District (PMNRCD) were recently interviewed by Senator Brian Collamore for his public affairs show Catamount Community Connection.

    Our episode will air next Sunday, October 1st on WJJR, 98.1 FM at 6 AM, and on Cat Country, 105.3 FM at 11 PM. You can listen to both of these stations online by clicking the attached links.

    We'll do our best to record our episode in case you miss it and make it available for listening at another time.

    Jerremy Jones from the LSCA and Hilary Solomon from the PMNRCD had a great discussion with Senator Collamore about the projects and programs our organizations are working on, and how we are working together on numerous preservation and protection initiatives for the lake and the Lake St. Catherine watershed.

    Thank you to Senator Collamore and to Catamount Radio for this opportunity to speak about these important topics for the lake community and all in the Poultney Mettowee conservation district. 

    We hope you can tune in!

    Catamount Community Connection - LSCA & PMNRCD

  • 19 Sep 2023 12:02 PM | Jerremy Jones (Administrator)

    Hello LSC. 

    The Lake St. Catherine Association recently made a donation to the Vermont Center for EcoStudies (VCE) to support and acknowledge the fine work of VCE and loon biologist Eric Hanson for loons in Vermont - and at Lake St. Catherine.

    Eric has travelled to Lake St. Catherine numerous times over the past few years in support of our increasing loon visits.

    This May, he came to LSC to observe a pair of loons that had exhibited nesting activity in the Channel. Although they ultimately did not build a nest, we'll work with Eric to place a nesting platform for them when they return in April. You can read about his May visit here: https://lakestcatherine.org/blog/13207383.

    In August, VCE also provided a collection tube that we installed at the boat launch in Wells to collect lead tackle and old fishing line, both deadly to loons. You can read more about that here: https://lakestcatherine.org/blog/13235860

    Eric was also at LSC twice in July of 2022 to participate in the Libraries Love Lakes event, and to present at our Annual Meeting & Dinner. At that Annual Meeting, Eric gave a fantastic presentation about loons, which was recorded - and you can view that here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUrY1PqirzU.

    In 2021, Eric also rescued a sub-adult loon on Lake St. Catherine that had been caught up with a lure and fishing line. You can read about that here: https://lakestcatherine.org/blog/12107471.

    Yesterday, we were very happy to read this nice note from Alyssa at VCE thanking the LSCA and our members for the donation, and inviting members to a special conversation with Eric about loons - and we'd like to share it with you:

    "First off, I want to thank you for giving to the Vermont Loon Conservation Project (VLCP) during our recent Loon Appeal. Thanks to you and your fellow supporters, Vermont's loons are better supported than ever before. Your gift will support our efforts to reduce the amount of lead tackle being used on Vermont's lakes, provide nesting rafts for the loons that need them, and more.

    As a new VLCP donor, the Lake St. Catherine Association is invited to a special conversation with VCE's loon Biologist, Eric Hanson, to hear about the state of Vermont's loons, including stories from the field and time for a Q & A. This is an exclusive opportunity to connect with Eric, who criss-crosses Vermont all summer visiting our lakes and ponds, rescuing loons, and conducting our ongoing loon monitoring. Eric has been the loon biologist for the VLCP since 1998 and hearing him share his knowledge and insights from the past couple decades is always a treat!

    This conversation will take place on Zoom at 7pm on 9/25/2023. That's just a week away! Please pre-register for the Zoom meeting here to receive the link to the conversation. Please feel free to pass this link along to your members."

    This is a great opportunity to learn more about Vermont's loons, and Eric always gives a fantastic presentation!

    We hope to see you there!

    Loon on Lake St. Catherine

Search lakestcatherine.org:

Lake St. Catherine Association
PO Box 631
Wells, VT 05774

Follow us on:


Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software