Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) Mixed conditions were reported again this week on Lake Champlain, Lake Carmi and Lake Iroquois, however there were no toxin detections. Temperatures are predicted to rise during the weekend and stay high through much of next week. Areas that have been experiencing alert conditions are likely to continue to see blooms and scums appear throughout the week. Conditions can change frequently and within short distances so please keep a watchful eye. Blooms persist in northeastern bays and scattered other areas. Please see the weekly report on conditions below for further details.
If you see or suspect a bloom:
- Report it to the Lake Champlain Committee using our online form. Click here for how to assess conditions.
- Avoid contact with the water in the area of the bloom.
- If you've been in contact with a bloom, rinse and shower thoroughly as soon as possible.
- Keep people (especially children) and pets out of the water.
- Do not drink untreated lake water. If you suspect a bloom near your intake, don't drink, cook or shower with the water. Boiling water does not destroy toxins.
- See a doctor if someone gets ill after exposure to an algae bloom and report algae-related illnesses to the health department.
You can check out water conditions on the blue-green algae data tracking map. LCC staff review and vet reports on a daily basis and make them available for viewing. All you need is an internet connection to keep apprised of conditions monitors are reporting. Once you get to the data tracking site, select a lake or section of Lake Champlain and then click on the inner circle in the dot. The date of the last monitoring report and status of conditions will appear in a table on the right. Green dots indicate generally safe conditions, yellow dots note low alerts, and red dots highlight high alerts. The low and high alert ratings don't change until the next report is filed.
Information Resources
- Blue-green Algae in Lake Champlain
- Blue-green Algae Fact Sheet
- Blue-green Algae Fact Sheet for Veterinarians
- LCC flier on how to differentiate blooms from other lake phenomena
A reminder to Vermonters that there are still opportunities to weigh in on the regulatory actions and policies to safeguard and restore our waterways. See the Take Action section below for further details. Please stay vested and involved in the work for clean, accessible water.
Source: LCC. 9.4.2015