For the preservation, protection, and maintenance of Lake St. Catherine
Earlier in the week, we sent out a request for volunteers to meet up on Saturday the 12th to help clean up debris caught on top of the dam at Lake's End.
It was so great to see folks from all around the lake come together to pitch in. We made quick work of the cleanup, and all the lake neighbors got to meet and exchange stories about how much we love LSC. What a fun morning.
THANK YOU to all our volunteers!
Check out the full photo gallery on Facebook.
- Shannon Rangecroft
The LSCA and LSCCF will be holding a lake community meeting at the Wells Town Park on Saturday, June 19th at 10AM.
Representatives from both organizations will discuss the joint plan for Little Lake, which will include a treatment with ProcellaCOR and mechanical harvesting.
We'll also discuss lake-wide milfoil control efforts, answer your questions, and outline what you can do to help maximize prospects for success.
If you'd like to learn more about this joint project (or make a donation), please visit: https://lakestcatherine.org/little-lake-milfoil-control
We hope to see you there!
Get your boating license!
The Lake St. Catherine Association is pleased to provide two FREE boating safety courses this season.
The first will be held on June 28th and 29th from 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the Modern Woodmen of America Hall, 10 Main Street in Wells.
The second will be held on July 5th and 6th from 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the Mettawee Community School, 5788 VT-153 in West Pawlet.
Anyone born after January 1st, 1974 must successfully complete an approved boating safety education course to legally operate any motorized vessel - including personal watercraft.
Frank Callahan, Trustee in charge of Boating Safety, will be conducting the courses.
Space is limited to 24 attendees, so please call 802-645-9136 or email Frank at frank.callahan@lakestcatherine.org to register. In 2019, both classes filled up to capacity very quickly, so please call to schedule as soon as you can.
For additional information about boating in Vermont, check out the online Handbook of Vermont Boating laws and Responsibilities.
Are you a member yet? Maintaining the lake costs approximately $125,000 annually. Grants, membership dues and contributions make up the majority of our funding. If you'd like to help, please consider becoming a member or making a donation. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and any contribution that you make is tax deductible.
On Saturday, May 29th, the Lake St. Catherine Association held their first meeting of the 2021 season. Meeting minutes compiled by Kemi McShane Bostock.
Call to Order: President Jim Canders called to order the 2021 Board of Trustees of the Lake St. Catherine Association at 8:08 AM on Saturday, May 29, 2021 at the Lake St. Catherine Country Club. Some attended on-line or by phone due to the pandemic. Roll call was made, and present were Officers- President- Jim Canders, Vice President- Martha H. Poffit, Treasurer- Elaine Bagley (online), Secretary- Kemi McShane Bostock ( By phone call), Milfoil Management- Jeff Crandall, Water Quality – Mary Jo Teetor, Publicity – Jerremy Jones, Lake Safety- Frank Callahan, Trustee- Nancy Liberatore, Trustee- Ken Abt (online), Greeter Program Management- John Belnavis, Trustee- Ed Laird. Absent: Nominating Committee – Bob Williams, Trustee Rob Nesbit.
Introduction statement – President, Jim Canders welcomed the Board of Trustees to the May 29th, 2021 meeting of the LSCA. The meeting was held in person since the COVID pandemic requirements had been lifted and the State of VT was permitting large group gatherings to take place.
Approval of Meeting Minutes- A motion was made to accept the minutes of the last Board Meeting of the LSCA on August, 2020 as written. Jeff second and all VOTED in favor.
Treasurer’s Report – Elaine budget summary, Year-end reporting for 2020. The Solitude budgets. Motion made to accept the two budgets and second and all VOTED in favor. Presentation of current chart/Budget Assumptions vs. Actual. Filing of 990EZ. Martha presented the 2021 current budget and included the grants received, which included the Little Lake. Income received from 317 members. Increased membership from the property owners on the Little Lake. Motion made and seconded to accept the Treasurer’s report as presented. All voted in favor.
Annual Meeting- John will contact the LSCCC to arrange for the Annual Meeting on Saturday July 24, 2021.This meeting will be “In Person”.
Legal discussion lead by Ed Laird on the Conflict-of-Interest policy, let the minutes reflect “any relationship that would be considered in conflict with the work of the Association,” there are rules and regulations and the LSCA is in conformity with the IRS. filing of the I-90, government mandatory 501C for grants. Also let the minutes reflect that due to possible cybersecurity threats, two LSCA accounts transferred, closed, and new accounts were created (Checking and Savings). The accounts were not impacted, but out of an abundance of caution, these steps were taken. Ed made a motion to approve, John second, all voted in favor. We are looking into cybersecurity insurance. It was noted that the LSCA website does not store any credit card data.
Milfoil Management- Jeff Crandall, the Herbicide treatment is June 22, 2021. The sites for the Little Lake are established for treatment. Identified 14 sites for the DASH program. Posting of the notification signs was completed by May 21, 2021. Mary Jo Water testing after treatment locations designated in instructions from Kara Silwoski, from Solitude Lake Management. Prepared for the June 22, 2021, treatment, Spring plant survey from May 19, 2021. Involved were Jim, Jerremy and Kara. Boat launching monitoring John Belnavis- the Greeter training program is virtual, the locations of the Greeter program is at the Boat launch in Wells, and at the State Park boat launch.
Water Quality- Mary Jo – the 2021 season water monitoring, recreational water, and location site. Continue to educate the public to follow rules for the preservation of the Lake but can see inconsistent practices.
Publicity- Jerremy updates of the website, Facebook, and Newsletter. Discussed the watershed action plan reporting in the Rutland Herald. Just keep getting the word out.
Lake Safety- Frank- Placement of the Markers. Two boating courses scheduled for June and July.
Nominating Committee- Bob- in his absence Jim reports the LSCA is in need of multiple trustees, Possible nominees? There are 4 openings.
Membership Committee- Need a chairperson.
Grants- Martha updated the Board regarding the partnership between the LSCA and the PMNRCD. Lake St. Catherine is recognized for implementing best management practices and is seen as a model to follow. Lake Wise has 21 sites in 2021 and 14 are on the Channel in the Little Lake. Received a grant for the Watershed Action Plan. Funding opportunities with the Lake Champlain Basin Program. LSCA is proactive and works collaboratively with the State and the Governor’s long-term goals.
New Business- Mary Jo handed out timesheets to track work hours for the grants related to AIS that started in January 1, 2021.
Old Business- Boat Parade- Kemi- Saturday July 3, 2021 at 1:00. Virtual judging/voting, no prizes, same route, and same 4 categories for judgement.
Next meeting June 26, 2021 at 8:30 AM LSCCC.
Hello again LSC.
We'd like to let you know that the LSCA Annual Membership Meeting & Dinner will be held in-person at the Lake St. Catherine Country Club on Saturday, July 24th ay 6 PM. Please save the date!
Dinner options and meeting information will follow soon.
We are looking forward to seeing you!
Hello LSC - we hope you are keeping warm during this unusually cool weekend...
Let's think about warm Summer weather, shall we?
We'd like to let you know that the 9th Annual LSCA Boat Parade has been scheduled and is open for registration!
The 9th Annual LSCA Boat Parade will be on Saturday, July 3rd at 1 PM.
We all know how fun it is to watch the boat parade, but it's even more fun to be part of it!
As we did last year, we'll take photos of all participants, and we'll have a lake-wide online vote to decide the winner.
Our categories are:
If you'd like to register your boat, please email us at info@lakestcatherine.org with your name and phone number. We'll get you signed up and will reply back with your boat number.
Our 8th Annual Boat Parade winners, and current reigning champions are:
Most Patriotic:
Boat #8 - The Dunbar Family - "Party Like A Patriot"
Funniest:
Boat #9 - The Lutz & Harris Families - "Fowl Play"
Most Original:
Boat #14 - The Mroz Family - "Ice Cream Boat"
Best Overall:
Boat #1 - The Conine Family - "Ski School"
So, start thinking about your theme (and warmer weather), and mark your calendars for July 3rd! Then, email us at info@lakestcatherine.org to register your boat.
As we arrive at Memorial Day weekend, and the 'unofficial start of summer', we hope that you'll have a fun and safe season at the Lake. Please be kind and respectful of each other and our beautiful lake.
We also hope that you will take a moment on Monday to remember and honor those who have died while serving our country.
Thank you.
Good chilly afternoon LSC...
Our Boat Launch Greeters started today. They will be stationed at the boat launch in Wells and the State Park in Poultney checking boats before they enter LSC for invasive species like zebra mussels, spiny waterflea, and asian clams.
They do a *GREAT JOB* of educating boaters about the dangers of inadvertently transporting invasive species into LSC via their vessel or trailer, and by removing any they find before they can get into the lake.
Our Greeters are on duty from Memorial Day through Labor Day - working on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They also cover holidays and fishing tournaments.
Please thank them for what they do for LSC when you see them!
You can read more about the invasive species we are working to keep out of the lake and the Greeter Program on our website here: https://lakestcatherine.org/boat-launch-monitoring-greeter-program
The Lake St. Catherine Association (LSCA) is excited to announce that we have earned a grant from the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) to create a Watershed Action Plan for Lake St. Catherine.
What is a lake watershed action plan?
From the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a Watershed Action Plan is described as:
“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.”
What was the Lake St. Catherine Association awarded a grant to do?
Lake Champlain Basin Program has awarded the Lake St. Catherine Association in partnership with the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District (PMNRCD) a 3-year grant to develop a Watershed Action Plan. The $38,224 awarded by the grant will allow the LSCA to hire and partner with lake experts to perform various in-lake and watershed based measurements, testing, and studies to identify current or potential future issues and design a comprehensive, long-term plan to address them. The resulting plan will leverage current LSCA investments in water quality and pollution prevention, be driven by accepted best management practices, elevate under-assessed areas and gaps, and will identify issues, opportunities, and projects to guide locally-led water quality implementation work in the Lake St. Catherine watershed.
Isn’t the Lake St. Catherine Association already doing its part in improving water quality?
Yes, after many years of successfully managing individual lake programs which include: in-lake invasive species control (Milfoil Control Program), invasive species prevention (Greeter Program), and storm water management (Lake Wise Program), the LSCA is now poised to integrate these programs into a broader watershed plan with a focus on the prevention of pollutant loads (phosphorus, nitrogen, sediments) that enter into the Lake from sources outside the waterbody. The LSCA plans to use the success of these building blocks to expand its work in the watershed and focus on prevention for the future.
Why is this grant so important?
Lake St. Catherine is located in the South Lake drainage area of the Lake Champlain Basin, which feeds high levels of phosphorus to the South Lake Basin of Lake Champlain. A primary focus of this project is reducing phosphorus to waterways.
The Lake Champlain Basin Program spent the past year evaluating proposals that could drive down the excessive amount of phosphorus in Lake Champlain. Excessive phosphorus fuels the growth of plants and algae and creates an unhealthy ecosystem that is unsustainable.
Sources of phosphorus surrounding Lake Champlain come from roads, parking lots, lawns, and agricultural and logging operations. Other phosphorus sources include eroding stream channels which alone is responsible for 20% of excessive phosphorus load. Changes in forests also accounts for another 16%. The South Basin of Lake Champlain which also houses Lake St. Catherine, has been given a goal to reduce overall phosphorus load by 20%. Lake St. Catherine’s proposal was successful within the context of a highly competitive process throughout both New York and Vermont.
Who will be involved in the development of our Watershed Action Plan?
A Project Team led by Trustees of the Association will engage the following partners:
What will happen at the end of the grant in 2024?
Using the data and information collected about the Lake St. Catherine Watershed, the Project Team will create the Lake St. Catherine Watershed Action Plan. This plan will identify “Opportunities For Action” and the strategies, interventions, and projects to best address them.
Subsequent grants will be requested to implement as many projects as possible and create a culture worthy of emulation that positions Lake St. Catherine for future funding that rewards water quality improvements including phosphorus load reduction. These efforts will continue for the balance of the decade and be the most important contribution all those who love being at Lake St. Catherine can do to distinguish its future beauty and health.
What can I do specifically to support this effort?
Although we have been steadily working our way towards 50% of Lake St. Catherine property owners joining the LSCA, we know we can do better, and there is room to grow. We all benefit from the work of our Trustees, our volunteers, and from the financial contributions of property owners, renters, and those who come to Lake St. Catherine for recreation. Now is the time to become a yearly member and show your long-term support of the LSCA, and in turn, Lake St. Catherine.
If you have not become a member yet this year, please visit our website: www.lakestcatherine.org. It will show that you are a serious participant in the future of the Lake, as someone who appreciates the relationship between Lake quality and property values, and that you care about our watershed. It will also will add credibility to our applications for future funding by demonstrating that our lake community is invested in maintaining and improving the Lake St. Catherine Watershed.
If you love Lake St. Catherine, and you have not become a member of the LSCA yet, this is your year to do so! Let’s all show our neighbors, our Trustees, our funders, and future generations that we are all stewards of our beloved Lake St. Catherine.
Hello LSC.
On Thursday, May 20th, the Lake St. Catherine Association, the Lake St. Catherine Conservation Fund and the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resource Conservation District held an informational Zoom meeting to discuss the Lake Wise Program on Lake St. Catherine.
The Vermont DEC’s Lake Wise Program encourages landowners to voluntarily implement lake-friendly practices on their property.
The Lake Wise Program was 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. Four categories are assessed: The driveway and parking area, the structure (which includes roof, drainage, and septic), the recreation area (the lawn/footprint of non-natural, high-use yard areas), and the shoreline buffer area. All categories are scored on their ability to slow, infiltrate and filter stormwater runoff which carries nutrients like phosphorus & nitrogen, sediments, and pollution into the Lake.
The goal of the Lake Wise program, from the Lake Wise website:
"The goal of Lake Wise is to establish a new normal, a new culture of lakeshore landscaping that is proven to help protect the lake. A property that earns the Lake Wise Award will represent a 'model' shoreland property. The Lake Wise Award certifies a property is well managed, using shoreland Best Management Practices, and is maintained to care for the lake."
Lakeshore properties that exemplify thoughtful, ecologically-minded development are proudly awarded a Lake Wise Award. The Lake Wise Award certifies that a property is managed in a manner that preserves fish and wildlife habitat, protects water quality, and maintains a shoreline's natural stability. Any lakeshore landowner can participate in the Lake Wise Program, including towns, state parks, businesses, and private homeowners.
You can view the video of the presentation and discussion on YouTube:
If you'd like to participate in the Lake Wise Program on LSC, or if you have any questions, please email us at info@lakestcatherine.org.
You can read more about Lake Wise on LSC here: https://lakestcatherine.org/lake-wise-program
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