For the preservation, protection, and maintenance of Lake St. Catherine
Today marks 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...”
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 beautifying 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!
Our Game Warden Justin Turner sent us this update about Game Warden patrols at the lake in August to pass along to the lake community. He has been providing updates throughout the season, and this is his fifth update.
We thank Justin for his work, and providing these updates to the lake community!
Justin's Report:
"Game Wardens patrolled the lake throughout the month of August conducting safety inspections and visibility patrols. Several patrols resulted in addressing zero violations, for example no wake violations, illegal operation of personal watercraft, or the mandatory requirements for having a personal flotation device(s). Having said that, as a reminder anybody born after January 1, 1974, is required by statute to complete a boating safety course.
Here is a link: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/23/029/03305b
Fishing pressure seems to be increasing while the recreational boating seems to be slowing down. There are several fishing derbies scheduled to be on the lake in the near future. Here are those dates: 09/02, 09/10, 10/07, 10/08, and 10/14.
If you see a violation or any activity that raises concern, please feel free to contact Warden Turner directly at 802-595-8754. If there is an emergency and you are unable to speak directly with Warden Turner, call State Police Dispatch at 802-772-4629 and the next available Warden can assist you.
Stay safe, keep dry, and enjoy the lake!”
One of those numerous safety inspections Justin conducted in August was with me as I had stopped to observe a loon this past Sunday in Oxbow Bay:
Justin checked that I had my boating license, and also inspected the boat for things like proper PFDs, working lights, a fire extinguisher, and registration.
When you pass the safety inspection, you get a Warden Service Inspection Sticker:
Thank you to Justin for working to keep us all safe on the lake, and for providing these updates!
You can read more about boating rules, and how to contact Justin on our Lake Safety page here: https://lakestcatherine.org/lake-safety
The Fall 2023 Newsletter is here!
In an effort to save on printing and mailing costs, we've decided to only print a short run of copies and distribute them at Wellsmere Farm. If you'd like a printed copy, please feel free to pick one up when you are out and about (available now!). Thank you to Michelle for having them at the farm!
Also, your LSCA Trustee neighbors will have printed copies available around the lake over the weekend.
The digital version is now available online via our website through this link: Click here to view the Fall 2023 Newsletter, or click on the image below. When you click on the link for the newsletter, you will be able to view it on screen - and be able to zoom in or out using the controls in your browser window. Or, you can click the download button to save a copy to your computer to view with a PDF reader, and/or print a copy.
Please join us, the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District (PMNRCD), and Fitzgerald Environmental Associates at the Wells Town Hall on September 1st, 2023 at 10 AM for a discussion as we choose the next TEN stormwater projects to implement around the lake.
The projects were identified in the Lake St. Catherine Stormwater Master Plan (SWMP) and the first six projects have been completed. You can read more about the LSC SWMP on the LSCA website here: https://www.lakestcatherine.org/stormwater-master-plan
Last year, the LSCA and PMNRCD earned a grant for $50k from the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) to design 10-12 more projects from the LSC SWMP. At this meeting, we will:
We will also discuss the Lake St. Catherine Watershed Action Plan as it intersects with the above project development... but we will meet in more depth about the Watershed Action Plan later this fall or winter...
Please help to spread the word - everyone is welcome!
Please join us, we hope to see you there!
Hello LSC. We'd like to give you a quick recap of the first Lake St. Catherine Vermont Invasive Patrollers (VIP) paddle which took place this morning.
The focus of this program is early detection of aquatic invasive species (AIS) before they can become established in a waterbody.
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 Department of Environmental Conservation program, we will be filing out and filing a report this evening.
We'll plan another VIP paddle in mid-September, and we'll select and post a date soon. 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 page on our website: https://www.lakestcatherine.org/vermont-invasive-patrollers
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 plant photos from Native Plant Trust: https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org
We had a great time speaking to so many good folks at East Poultney Day on Saturday! Thanks for stopping by our booth to talk about the lake.
We'd also like to thank the Poultney Historical Society for inviting us to give a presentation about the lake and the work of the LSCA. There was a great crowd - we hope you enjoyed our talk.
If you were unable to attend, PEGTV was there to record it:
We'd like to share an update from our Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting (DASH) crew.
So far this season, Beck & Owen have been working in North Bay, Horseshoe Bay, and Oxbow Bay, hand-pulling 643 buckets (17.5 gallon) of milfoil so far.
This Monday, they have started working in the Channel, near the boat launch, and will be in the Channel for most of the remainder of their season.
Beck reached out with this note thanking lake users: "All lake users have been very respectful and encouraging with our activity taking up a lot of space."
Thank you for giving them the space they need to work!
Be sure to give them a wave, or say hi if you are passing by.
We'd like to thank all the Channel folks who signed the letter of support that Dawn Smith put together which the LSCA submitted with our grant application to help fund this project and the Greeter Program at the boat launch!
You can read more about DASH, and our milfoil control efforts here: https://lakestcatherine.org/milfoil-control-program
Our DASH team and the Greeter Program on Lake St. Catherine are made possible in part through a grant earned from the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP), and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC).
Good evening LSC - we'd like to let you know about a new loon conservation and protection project on Lake St. Catherine.
In partnership with the Vermont Center for Ecostudies (VCE) and Vermont Fish & Wildlife, this evening, we have installed a collection tube provided by VCE at the boat launch in Wells to collect old lead tackle and monofilament fishing line.
Even a small lead split shot is 100 percent fatal if swallowed.
• Every year lead tackle and discarded monofilament line kills aquatic wildlife, including loons, eagles, swans, geese, mammals, and other waterbirds.
• Nearly 50% of loon deaths from 1989-2022 in Vermont were caused by lead fishing gear, monofilament, and ingestion of hooks.
Our Greeters will inform boaters of the new collection tube, and we will monitor it throughout the year. VCE will make pickups and properly dispose of the collect lead and line.
Check your tackle box for old lead sinkers, tackle, and old fishing line, and drop it off in the tube.
Please help to spread the word!
You can read more about this project and loons via these links:
• https://fishleadfree.org/vt/
• https://vtecostudies.org/.../common-loon-conservation/
Thank you!
Good afternoon LSC.
Our Game Warden Justin Turner sent us this update about Game Warden patrols at the lake over the past 2 weeks to pass along to the lake community. He will be providing updates throughout the season, and this is his fourth update.
“Patrol update from July 15th through July 30th. Game Wardens have been patrolling the lake, making a lot contacts, and issuing safety inspection stickers to many boats. During patrols Wardens continue to address wake violations.
Please remember the distance requirements and be aware of your surroundings while on the water. Here is the exact verbiage as it relates to distance requirement from Title 23 V.S.A. 3311(c). Operation of vessels:
(c) Distance requirements.
(1) An individual shall not operate any vessel, seaplane, racing shell, or rowing scull, except a sailboard or a police or emergency vessel, within 200 feet of the shoreline; an individual in the water; a canoe, rowboat, or other vessel; an anchored or moored vessel containing any individual; or anchorages or docks, except at a speed of less than five miles per hour that does not create a wake.
(2) An individual shall not operate any vessel, seaplane, racing shell, or rowing scull, except a nonmotorized canoe, a nonmotorized rowboat, or a police or emergency vessel, within 200 feet of a divers-down flag.
(3) Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit rendering assistance to another individual, picking up an individual in the water, necessary mooring or landing, or leaving shore, or operating in any other place where obstruction, other than the shoreline, would prevent abiding by this statute.
(4) An individual shall not operate a vessel, except at speeds of less than five miles per hour, within 200 feet of a designated swimming area.
If you see us out on the water and would like an inspection, have a question, or just want to say hi, please feel free to flag us down. We have pulled up to several docks recently for all the above.
Stay safe and enjoy the lake!”
Thank you to Justin for working to keep us all safe on the lake, and for providing these updates.
The Vermont Invasive Patrollers (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 (AIS) 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.
This is a GREAT addition to our invasive species control and prevention initiatives which includes our Greeter Program. Our Greeters work at the Wells boat launch and at the State Park to inspect vessels before (and after) they enter Lake St. Catherine to check for AIS like spiny water flea, asian clams, zebra mussels, and other invasive plants and animals that are only a lake away from LSC.
If you enjoy paddling on Lake St. Catherine and would also like to be part of an early warning system looking for invasive species, we hope you will join us and participate in this program. Using underwater viewers, we'll patrol LSC for invasive species, survey our healthy native plant populations, and reduce the threat for invasive plant species introductions.
VIP volunteers will:
Our first paddle will be on Saturday, August 19th at 9 AM. We'll meet in our kayaks, canoes, SUPs, etc. around the Wells Boat Launch, do a training, and our first patrol! Email us at info@lakestcatherine.org to let us know you’d like to volunteer for this program!
You can read more about the VIP Program on our website: https://lakestcatherine.org/vermont-invasive-patrollers
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