Lake Champlain Committee
Read on in our latest e-newsletter for a rundown of how road salt impacts infrastructure and how ice on Lake Champlain affects aquatic life. You can also get to know me a bit better, access our collection of educational materials on native aquatic plants, and see LCC’s policy work in action through a comprehensive presentation on phosphorus our water advocate made in January to the Vermont House Environment Committee. As a reflection on this past cold winter, we feature a Nature Note on beavers’ winter lodges, and in the spirit of spring thaw, you’ll find a Clean Lake Tip on keeping bacteria out of our waters by scooping up pet waste.
On a more sobering note, in our Water News from Near and Far, you’ll read about some of the headwinds now facing scientists, researchers, and advocates for environmental protection. These challenging times make us all the more aware of the importance of our continued work for clean, accessible water through science-based advocacy, education, and collaborative action. It is a mission that we care about deeply – and one that we cannot take for granted. We realize that our work to protect Lake Champlain may become more difficult, and more necessary than ever. This deepens our commitment to continuing to operate robust community science programs, effective advocacy, and broad, inclusive outreach and education, working together with all who cherish the lake.
Thank you for your involvement in the ongoing work for clean water. Your participation is key to protecting and restoring water quality, safeguarding habitat, providing access, and fostering stewardship.
If you haven’t donated recently you can join, renew, make a special donation or contribute to our Legacy Fund through our secure website.
With deep gratitude,
Jenny Patterson, LCC Executive Director
Road salt scattered on a surface after application. Salt helps prevent icy conditions but poses risks to freshwater, infrastructure, and surrounding ecosystems.
The Hidden Cost of Winter –How Road Salt is Undermining Infrastructure
It’s a familiar winter symphony in the Lake Champlain basin: snow, ice, and coarse rock salt crunch beneath your boots as you walk down the pavement. However, below the caked layers of snow, a quieter crisis is unfolding. Spreading road salt in pursuit of safer roads and sidewalks produces a cascade of unintended consequences that persist long after winter is over, corroding bridges, damaging roads, and compromising water systems.
Seeing road salt and other additives being spread on winter roads is nothing new. Yet it raises an important question: why can’t we put our roads on a low-sodium diet?
The summer after her wedding, Jenny tested out her gift canoe in style on her favorite waters—here she is on Lake Champlain in 1994.
Get to Know Jenny - LCC's New Executive Director
Lake Champlain has played a central role in LCC’s new Executive Director Jenny Patterson’s life. The lake was a formative part of her childhood, and just as the Little Chazy River flows into Champlain’s waters, she has come back to this cherished spot and is ready to dive in.
Read more...
Ice’s ability to float dictates lake dynamics— if ice sank, Lake Champlain might be icy year-round!
Ice Life: A Look Under a Frozen Lake Champlain
As March thaws the ice on Lake Champlain, we reflect on the cold winter that has passed. When temperatures drop low enough to freeze wide stretches of Lake Champlain, the landscape takes on a new character. Ice replaces rolling waves, creating a surface that invites exploration—whether by skaters gliding across its glassy expanse or anglers setting up for the season. Beneath the frozen surface, life continues, with some species thriving in the cold while others slow down. The formation of lake ice is more than just a winter phenomenon—it shapes the ecosystem and the ways people interact with the lake during the colder months.
Read more...
LCC presented a rundown of runoff to the Vermont Legislature in January.
LCC Water Protection Advocate Presents on Phosphorus Loading to the VT House Environment Committee
On January 16, 2025, LCC Water Protection Advocate Jared Carpenter testified before the Vermont House Environment Committee, giving an overview of water quality requirements and progress in reducing pollutants and excess nutrients in the Lake Champlain basin. Jared’s presentation focused on the role phosphorus runoff plays in feeding cyanobacteria blooms in Lake Champlain and other Vermont lakes and ponds.
Watch a recording of the testimony here.
These identification cards can help you in the field with species ID and with at-home studying as flashcards.
LCC Shares Educational Materials on Native Aquatic Plants
Have you ever wondered exactly what kind of plants are touching your toes when you swim? When your paddle breeches the water’s surface, do you wonder about the fauna it slices through? Get to know the native plants of Lake Champlain with our ID cards, factsheets, posters, and art prints—all available online here and as physical copies here. We’re grateful to the Lake Champlain Basin Program and to NEIWPCC for funding this work.
Access the suite of online materials here.
Sign up for physical copies of the educational materials here.
Nature Note
Busy beavers take a break in their unique winter dwellings.
Beavers’ Winter Cabins
Beavers (Castor canadensis) are similar to many humans when it comes to weathering winter: they don’t hibernate, but they spend a lot of their time cozied up in their lodges.
Ever the industrious species, North America’s largest rodent will spend most of the autumn season preparing their winter residence. In early fall, after the framework of a dam has been established, a beaver family will transition their ongoing work schedule to constructing their lodge. Read on for more on the schematics of a beaver lodge and beaver activity in the winter and early spring:
Read more...
Clean Lake Tip
Dog stools left out in the snow are a source of pathogens and unwanted nutrients to Lake Champlain—team up with friends this spring to scoop the poop!
Scoop the Poop
March’s snowmelt reveals some unpleasant lingerers from the winter season. Pet owners throughout the winter may be tempted to leave their dog’s waste under the snow and ice—after all, what could be the harm of just a few droppings?
As it turns out, dog droppings are not as innocent as the pampered pets they come from. Canine feces are full of bacteria - the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that just 100 dogs over two or three days could contribute enough poop to temporarily close a a bay and all watershed areas to swimming or shell fishing within 20 miles. This doesn’t just refer to dog dung on the beach – it’s the residue that washes down the storm drain from streets, sidewalks, lawns and other land surface. Not to mention that dog poop is a terrible fertilizer. In fact, it has the opposite effect – it burns the grass and takes over a year to break down! While you may not see these effects in the winter, the turds don’t disappear in the snow. As many springtime parkgoers know, winter dog poop is yucky, but it’s not just that—it becomes a significant pollutant when things begin to thaw.
Upcoming Events
World Water Day Event at the University of Vermont
Date: Friday 3/21/2025 from 4:00 – 6:00 PM
Location: University of Vermont Alumni House – 61 Summit St, Burlington, VT 05401
Join us in celebrating World Water Day —a global observance dedicated to raising awareness about freshwater and advocating for water access and sustainability—hosted by Lake Champlain Sea Grant and the Water Resources Institute. Read more...
World Water Day Celebration at the Champlain Centre Mall
Date: Saturday 3/22/2025 from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: Champlain Centre Mall – 60 Smithfield Blvd, Plattsburgh, NY 12901
Celebrate the waters of the Lake Champlain basin! LCC will be tabling alongside more than 30 scientists, historians, artists, and other water experts—including keynote speakers from Talking Rivers—to share our work and answer questions.
The event includes a contest open to K-12 students in the Lake Champlain basin where awards are given for several categories of creative arts. Read on...
Fix a Leak Week: 3/17/2025 - 3/24/2025
Are you ready to investigate leaks? Household leaks can waste nearly 1 trillion gallons of water annually nationwide, so each year we hunt down the drips during Fix a Leak Week. The average household's leaks can account for nearly 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year and ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day. We encourage you to take some time this week to check faucets, toilets, showerheads, and outdoor irrigation systems both in the home and in the workplace. Read on...
Water News from Near & Far
Road Salt Contamination in Focus for Vermont Legislators
A bill introduced in the Vermont Senate and supported by LCC would create a state program to curb chloride contamination from road salt by better training salt crews. Read about road salt as a contaminant and more details on the legislation in this piece from Vermont Public.
New York State to Offer Funds for Flood Resiliency in Ausable and Boquet Watersheds
Money from New York’s Environmental Bond Act will target flood resiliency projects recommended in watershed-specific studies, including two currently underway on the Ausable and Boquet rivers that identify flood-prone areas, model different flood scenarios and propose specific projects to mitigate those risks. Read more in this piece from Adirondack Explorer.
Federal Cuts, Freezes, and Firings Impact Scientific Research Locally While Scientists Mobilize Nationwide in Protest
Federally funded scientific research and projects are in limbo in the Lake Champlain Basin while scientists turned out at rallies from coast to coast to “Stand Up for Science,” revitalizing a movement to defend scientific integrity that started during President Trump’s first term.
Read how recent executive actions are being felt in the North Country...
Read on how scientists have taken to the streets in protest of federal cuts...
Supreme Court Ruling Weakens Wastewater Regulation Under the Clean Water Act
The U.S. Supreme Court ruling in San Francisco v. U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) makes it harder for environmental regulators to limit water pollution. The majority opinion ruled that EPA overstepped its authority to issue permits under the Clean Water Act by including broad “end result” provisions making the City of San Francisco responsible for maintaining the quality of water into which it discharges wastewater. Read on about the significance of this decision.
Keep in Touch
Do you have a new address or email? If so, please email us at [email protected] so we can update your files and ensure you receive news on lake issues and LCC’s work. Email is our primary form of communication with members, volunteers, and partners. Mailing electronically saves time and resources and reinforces the stewardship ethic of our mission. We don’t give away or sell email addresses.
Lake Champlain Committee Board of Directors
Gary Kjelleren, Chair | South Hero, VT
Sandy Montgomery, Treasurer | Montreal, QC
Alan Booth | Plattsburgh, NY
Cliff Landesman | Brooklyn, NY
Rick Sharp | Colchester, VT
Hank Slauson | Shelburne, VT
Michaela Stickney | Huntington, VT
Lake Champlain Committee Advisory Council
Lisa Borre | Belding, MI
Steven Kellogg | Essex, NY
Peter S. Paine Jr. | Willsboro, NY
Mary Watzin | Greenville, SC
Staff & Support
Jenny Patterson, Executive Director
Lindsey Carlson, Water and Science Program Coordinator
Jared Carpenter, Water Protection Advocate
Eileen Fitzgerald, Education & Outreach Associate
Alexa Hachigian, Office Manager/Field Associate
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