For the preservation, protection, and maintenance of Lake St. Catherine
On Tuesday, August 25th, the LSCA, the LSCCF, Dr. Jennifer Jones of Restorative Lake Sciences and the Vermont DEC held a meeting to discuss potential solutions to address Eurasian Watermilfoil (EWM) and sediment levels in the Little Lake.
The recording of that meeting is now available to view on YouTube here:
Our two groups will post our thoughts and comments about the meeting soon, but we'd like to give you the opportunity to view the video first.
Both the LSCA and the LSCCF welcome your comments.
We'd like to thank all the panelists for their participation, our moderator Gary Kupferer, and the Town of Wells for hosting some of our participants.
Finally, we'd like to let the lake community know that the LSCA and the LSCCF have plans to meet soon to discuss this meeting and the next steps for implementing solutions to help Little Lake. We will discuss your comments or questions at that time, so please feel free to send them in to us or post them here.
Thank you.
Jim Canders, President, Lake St. Catherine Association David Emmons, President, Lake St. Catherine Conservation Fund
On Saturday, July 25th, the Lake St. Catherine Association held their third meeting of the 2020 season.
The Trustees gave their reports on many topics - Click here to see the full meeting agenda. Meeting minutes compiled by Kemi McShane Bostock.
July 25th 2020 Meeting of the Lake St. Catherine Board of Trustees
Google Meet - Online Meeting, 8:30 AM
Meeting Called to Order by President, Jim Canders at 8:32 AM.
Attendance: Jim Canders, Elaine Bagley, Jeff Crandall, Bob Williams, Jerremy Jones, Ken Abt, Ed Laird, Kemi McShane, Mary Jo Teetor, Martha Hicks Pofit, John Belnavis, Nancy Liberatore
Absent: Frank Callahan
Jerremy Jones commented on his recent discussion with the LSCCF representative, Rick Newell, regarding the progress on the talks for the joint meeting Tuesday 8/25/20. This will be a virtual meeting. Gary Kupferer will moderate the joint meeting. An announcement went out. Four representatives from the DEC will attend. RLS limnologist Jennifer Jones will present her position on aeration. The panels will present their findings, there will be a question and answer period.
Mary Jo discussed the meeting with Oliver regarding the Clean Water Act. Grant for roads, stormwater projects. Grant tied into the watershed for the Lake. Rutland Regional Planning Commission involved. 50 projects identified by the PMNRCD as potential storm water projects around LSC. Grant received for $27,696 for the Greeters program & milfoil control.
The meeting was adjourned to prepare for the annual meeting recording.
Minutes respectfully submitted by the recording Secretary, Kemi McShane Bostock
Hello LSC.
We'd like to give you an update from our DASH team on their progress as they hand pull milfoil in our control areas.
The DASH team continues to report the lack of milfoil seen in our control areas. To illustrate this observation, the DASH crew has harvested 53 buckets (buckets are 17.5 gallons) of milfoil from the completed areas (B, C, D, F, G, H, I). Last year, 1293 buckets were harvested. This is excellent news, and an amazing statistic.
The LSCA DASH team at work
Currently, the DASH team is working in the Channel, north of the bridge. After completing the Channel, they will move on to complete the remaining areas: K & L, and J (Halls Bay).
Before beginning their work in the Channel, they conducted a survey to look for milfoil and they also scanned the lake bed for zebra mussels. No zebra mussels were found. Here is a quick video they recorded so you can see what they see as they work:
The divers also help us during the season to move, place and repair safety buoys around the lake.
A big THANK YOU to our DASH team for their continued good work for LSC!
We'd like to take a moment to thank our 2020 Business Sponsors:
Bear Construction
New Construction, Renovations, Siding, Roofing, and Decks
Phone: (802) 688-6112
Email: bearconstruction1315@gmail.com
Lake St. Catherine Cottages
Cottage Rentals 70 West Lake Road
Phone: (802) 773-0100
Phone: (802) 645-0093
Lake St. Catherine Country Club
Golfing, Pro Shop, Bar & Grill Dinner Specials Fri & Sat
Phone: (802) 287-9341
Email: lsccc@comcast.net
Temblor Creative Group
A Full Service, Full Energy Marketing & Design Agency
Phone: (802) 558-7507
Email: web@temblorcreative.com
Williams Hardware
Hardware, Housewares, Paint, Lumber, Rentals & More Since 1946
Phone: (802) 287-5791
Email: williamshardware@truevalue.net
VT Lakehouse
Experience amazing lakefront views Daily and weekly rentals available
FB: https://fb.me/vtlakehouse
Email: info@vt-lakehouse.com
New England Lakeside Realty
Helping Families Find Their New Homes In Vermont's Lakes Region
Phone: (802) 645-9001
Email: vtlakeside@comcast.net
Woodard Marine
Boating, Service, Rentals Located on Lake Bomoseen.
Phone: (802) 265-3690
Email: info@woodardmarine.com
Lakes & Homes Real Estate
Offering years of expertise in Rutland County
Phone: (802) 671-8042
Email: lakesandhomesre@gmail.com
Haun Welding Supply
Household Propane and Cylinder Gas Delivery
Phone: (518) 743-8944
Email: glensfalls@thehaunedge.com
All have made a $200 contribution to the Lake St. Catherine Association for the 2020 season - thank you for your support!
You can find them listed on the Sponsors page our our website, and they are listed in our Spring and Fall newsletters.
If your business would like to be a Business Sponsor, you can fill out our online membership form here: Become A Member, or you can print and mail in this 2020 Membership Form.
Thanks again to our 2020 Business Sponsors - and all who have contributed this season to help us fulfill our mission to preserve, protect and maintain Lake St. Catherine.
After a long delay due to pandemic and funding concerns the Lake Association is pleased to announce the finalizing of grant funding from the Department of Environmental Conservation Grant-In-Aid on two fronts. The Aquatic Invasive Species Grant in Aid is an important piece of funding that the Lake St. Catherine Association utilizes to manage milfoil and educate the public on water quality issues and invasive species threatening the health and balance of the lake.
At total of $27,696.00 for two programs has been awarded for the 2020 season.
The first grant is for the Greeter Program stationed at Fish and Wildlife boat access in Wells. Our greeters welcome boaters at the launch to inspect boats and trailers for any signs of invasive species, particularly the introduction of milfoil and zebra mussels. They also educate people on other threats that might be in other waters that could be transported if a boat was recently in another body of water. Boats are also inspected and any fragments of weeds are removed from boats and trailers so they will not be transported to other lakes. It is highly encouraged to wash your boat as well as clean drain and dry bilges and engine intakes before traveling from one lake to another. In addition we are happy to have the opportunity this summer to open a new station in partnership with the Lake St. Catherine State Park this year as well. These important grant dollars make it possible for the Lake Association to expand its program to monitor as many boats as possible coming and going from Lake St. Catherine.
The second grant if for Eurasian Watermilfoil Management. This grant supports the in lake methods used to combat the invasive Eurasian Water Milfoil and monitor the water body for signs of any other threats of non-native species. The association uses an integrated multi-faceted approach to management which includes DASH (diver assisted suction harvesting), hand pulling, and spot herbicide treatment. The most recent success of the program has led to a greatly reduced population of milfoil in the main lake. The expansion of this program is planned for 2021 to focus on areas that have been unable to benefit from the program.
We would like to thank the Town of Poultney and the Town of Wells as well as the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District for their support and partnership the successful application and administration of the grants as well as the peripheral programs that enhance the Lake St. Catherine environment for all to enjoy.
A few weeks ago, we let you know that the 2020 LSCA annual meeting would be going 'virtual' due to the current COVID-19 situation.
We thoroughly enjoy getting the membership together to talk about the lake and then share a nice dinner together. But, our first priority has to be the safety of all involved. This was a disappointing decision, but it was the right one.
This morning, we recorded the Annual Meeting, and it's now available for you to watch on YouTube.
We hope you'll sit down and watch at your convenience.
It's chock full of information about LSC, our work for the lake this season, and a few flubs we hope you can endure.
All the Trustees did a great job on their reports - we hope you can take some time to watch the video.
Another important part of the Annual Meeting is the election of trustees. This has traditionally been done by our Nominating Committee Chair Bob Williams announcing the slate of candidates and the assembled membership gives a collective “aye”. Since we cannot do that this year, we have posted an online ballot so you can cast your vote. To vote, you need to be a member in good standing, so the ballot will ask for your name and email address. The candidates being put forth by the Nominating Committee are: Jim Canders, Jeff Crandall, Jerremy Jones, Martha Pofit, Bob Williams.
Click here to vote: https://forms.gle/bY5ih6uuGsmWqmr46
The vote will be open until 8/8/2020 at 5 PM.
After watching the Annual Meeting recording, please let us know if you have any questions by emailing us at info@lakestcatherine.org.
Finally, we'd still like to have safe face-to-face interactions with our membership this season. We have started a program called “Dockside Chats”. A LSCA trustee would schedule a time to meet you (and possibly your neighbors) at your dock to have a quick chat about the lake. Email us at info@lakestcatherine.org to schedule a Dockside Chat.
Thank you for your support of the Lake St. Catherine Association!
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. The LSCA is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization and any contribution that you make is tax deductible.
If you prefer contributing by check, our 2020 Membership form can be downloaded here.
The Lake St. Catherine Association (LSCA) and the Lake St. Catherine Conservation Fund (LSCCF) would like to inform the lake community about a joint board meeting meeting to discuss issues and opportunities, as well as a path forward, to address Eurasian Watermilfoil (EWM) and sediment levels in the Little Lake St. Catherine. These two problems in Little Lake are significant.
Our goal for this meeting is to reach clarity about the problems and to find the best solutions so we can quickly take action to remediate them.
Meeting Details
On Tuesday, August 25th at 6 PM, a virtual, joint meeting will take place between the LSCA, the LSCCF, limnologist Jennifer Jermalowicz-Jones from Restorative Lake Sciences in Michigan, and Misha Cetner, Laura Dlugolecki, Oliver Pierson, and Zapata Courage from the Vermont DEC. This panel discussion will be led by professional moderator Gary Kupferer.
The format for this meeting and discussion will be:
During the 60 minute Q&A, panelists and board members will take turns asking questions of each other. The first 20 minutes of the meeting will be dedicated to allowing the invited scientists to ask each other questions. The LSCA and the LSCCF will also be soliciting questions from the lake community that will be asked during the final 40 minutes of the Q&A.
Meeting Topic
There is a debate amongst the parties on the best course of action to reduce excess vegetation including EWM and organic sediments in Little Lake, and the efficacy of the tools proposed to achieve this. These tools include aeration with bioaugmentation (enzymes), herbicides, mechanical harvesting, diver assisted suction harvesting (DASH) and watershed management.
The LSCCF has invited limnologist Jennifer Jermalowicz-Jones from Restorative Lake Sciences who is a proponent of aeration with bioaugmentation (introducing enzymes to the lake) to discuss installations and the results of installing these systems in lakes.
The LSCA has asked the DEC to participate to discuss the findings in their 2019 paper entitled “Aeration As A Lake Management Tool And Its Use in Vermont” which concluded that the scientific literature does not support or recommend the use of aeration as a tool for managing muck or aquatic plants.
Jennifer Jermalowicz-Jones and the DEC representatives will each make a presentation, and then engage in a discussion about aeration and other lake management tools and topics.
We believe this exchange of ideas, scientific facts and real world experience shared by the parties in this meeting will advance our goal to get the right treatments in the Little Lake as quickly as possible for the betterment of the entire lake system. We will have the right leaders in the room representing the interests of the lake communities and noted experts in reversing the impact of invasive aquatic species and other lake encroachments.
How You Can Participate
This meeting will take place online via online meeting software on August 25th at 6 PM. The discussion will be recorded and then posted, in its entirety, to YouTube for the lake community to view at your convenience.
Although you will not be able to participate live in this discussion, we do want to hear from you so your questions can be answered during this discussion.
We have set up this online form for you to submit a question to be asked during the meeting. You can access that form by visiting this link: https://forms.gle/KX14jvzU2Vnidw1v8
Commitment of the LSCA & the LSCCF Boards
We are endeavoring to work together to help Little Lake. This meeting is a step forward towards that shared goal. Our hope is that this meeting will bring some clarity to the situation in Little Lake, and that it will set the stage for our two organizations to work together on solutions.
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!
The Lake St. Catherine Association is pleased to announce that the LSCA Greeter Program has been expanded to the Lake St. Catherine State Park.
In the fall, we applied for, and were awarded a Vermont Watershed grant to expand our Greeter Program to include the State Park. Each year, it's estimated that 1,800 vessels are launched into LSC from the boat launch there. Unfortunately, that grant was canceled due to the COVID-19 situation.
However, we felt it was worth launching a pilot program this year so funds were allocated to get it started.
Our Greeters will be stationed just past the main entrance booth on Fridays and Saturdays from 1:30 - 5:30. These two days and times represent the busiest check in times. This will allow vessels to be inspected as soon as they enter the State Park. Park visitors will also be educated on the dangers of transporting invasive species.
From left to right: Patrick Dundas, Lucas Milazzo and Amy Rohrman.
Patrick and Amy are supervisors at the park - and they have been very supportive of our Greeters.
Our Greeters have been trained to identify invasive species (like spiny waterflea, asian clams, water chestnut, starry stonewort and zebra mussels) to stop them from entering LSC. 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.
Finally, we'd like to thank Reuben Allen, Parks Regional Manager for his support with setting up this pilot program. We hope we will be able to expand our program at the State Park in 2021!
Our 2020 Milfoil Control Program is well underway - and we'd like to provide you an update.
ProcellaCOR Treatment
On Wednesday, June 24th, three areas on LSC totaling 18.3 acres were treated with ProcellaCOR (highlighted in red in the attached map). This represents a 52% reduction in the amount of acres that were treated in 2019. Two areas were in the northern end of the lake in North Bay and Lily Pond, the other area was in the Channel south of the bridge. The results have been excellent - as there is no milfoil to be found in these treated areas, 17 days post treatment. We were also very happy to speak with some property owners in the Channel to hear their positive comments and observations about the results.
Suction Harvesting
Our diver assisted suction harvesting (DASH) team began their work on June 27th.
This season, the DASH team will be working in 10 areas, totaling 38.7 acres (highlighted in red in the attached map). This represents a 42% reduction in the amount of acres that were DASH'd in 2019.
Our DASH team sent in this report on their work so far:
"We have already finished Locations C, D, G, and I. Today we started work at location B and have also put in two days of work at location K. All locations were found to have very low density milfoil, I will attach a few photos [see one of these underwater photos below] of what we are generally observing at most sites. We also have surveyed the lake and couldn't find any large milfoil patches, the first time I have ever seen this while working on Lake St. Catherine. Overall the status of milfoil growth in the lake is very low from our observations!"
>> Please note, our DASH team is referring to the areas of LSC that have been part of our Milfoil Control Program over the past several years.
See the attached treatment map to see the locations they are referring to.
Weed Identification
Each season, we receive questions about weeds, so we want to show you some photos so you can clearly identify them.
Here is an image referenced by our DASH team in their report above. It was taken in LSC and shows milfoil and other native plants. As the DASH team mentioned, the milfoil they are seeing is low density. In the image, we have highlighted the milfoil with orange arrows, and an orange rectangle:
Photo credit: LSCA DASH Team
Milfoil is an invasive species of plant that, by permit, we are allowed to address in LSC.
There is another weed in LSC that we receive a lot of questions about called Illinois Pondweed (potamogeton illinoensis). Based on the questions we've received, we know that it's sometimes confused with milfoil - even though they look very different.
This is Illinois Pondweed:
Photo credit: Peter M. Dziuk from the www.minnesotawildflowers.info website
This plant will grow to the surface and the stem at the top, called the flower, will extend past the waterline.
Illinois Pondweed is a native plant in LSC, so we are not allowed to treat or DASH it. Native aquatic plants are beneficial for the lake as they create a habitat in the lake ecosystem, cycle nutrients and can help with erosion control and repelling invasives.
Sometimes the pondweed can grow in your dock and swimming areas. You are permitted to hand-pull these weeds if they are a nuisance in these areas. If you do hand-pull any aquatic plants, PLEASE do not leave them in the water! Bring them on shore to dewater and dry out, then dispose of them as you would lawn waste.
We'd also ask that if you see floating weeds in the water, near your dock, or on your shoreline, please remove them from the water. This is ESPECIALLY important with milfoil! Even small fragments of milfoil can seed new beds of milfoil plants.
Looking Ahead
Our DASH team will continue their work into August, and we'll continue to provide you with updates as their work progresses.
We have already started discussing our milfoil control plans for 2021. As we've done since 2004, in October, we will perform a lake-wide plant survey which will evaluate our milfoil control efforts for 2020. This report will guide our plans for 2021. We'll share this report when it becomes available in November.
If you'd like to review the previous LSC Aquatic Plant Surveys, please click here to view them in the Downloads section of our website.
If you have any questions on our Milfoil Control Program, please email us: info@lakestcatherine.org.
2020 Treatment Map:
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