We hope this month’s newsletter finds you enjoying the holidays, the quiet of winter, and all of the snow we’ve been lucky to see so early in the season. In this e-news you’ll find several events that will keep us connected to the lake, even as many of us turn our attention to the higher reaches of the watershed. We’re also happy to share a recap of the 2025 boat launch steward season, a new illustration series exploring aquatic invasive species, and other resources and opportunities we hope you’ll find useful this winter and beyond.

During the 2025 season, 24 boat launch stewards completed over 22,000 watercraft inspection surveys at Vermont Fish and Wildlife, New York State Parks, and municipal launches. Stewards reached approximately 55,000 launch users with Clean, Drain, Dry messaging. Approximately 11% of surveyed watercraft were found to carry aquatic hitchhikers, and over 740 watercraft were decontaminated at one of four high pressure hot water decontamination stations operated by LCBP/NEIWPCC staff.

A new illustrated series created by the LCBP explores the impacts of aquatic invasive species (AIS), as well as actions individuals can take to prevent the spread. Several invasive species are “on Lake Champlain’s doorstep” and pose a serious threat to our ecosystems, recreation, and economy. Check out the series on Instagram or Facebook, and learn more about the volunteer monitoring effort in a new video produced by Peregrine Productions.

Snowy, icy roads are here for the season—and that means road salt is, too. Deicing salts applied to road surfaces throughout the winter contain chloride, which is transported to the lake by snowmelt or rain runoff and by groundwater inputs to rivers and streams. In regions of Lake Champlain, chloride levels have risen 20-54% since 1992. 

To learn more about this important pollutant and how to take action, check out this February 2025 presentation to the Vermont Senate Natural Resources Committee by LCBP Chief Scientist Dr. Matthew Vaughan; explore resources for business owners, municipalities, and winter maintenance professionals via Lake Champlain Sea Grant or AdkAction; and watch how one Adirondack community leveraged partnerships to reduce salt application.

This winter, explore the watershed while staying warm by visiting the Colleen Hickey Lake Champlain Resource Room! Located within the ECHO Leahy Center, the Resource Room contains countless activities and resources for connecting more deeply to the Lake Champlain watershed. Among other highlights, we’re excited to share recently installed artwork created by local fourth graders for the 2025 Burlington Trout Parade, and to be offering Watershed Storytime programs to visitors bi-weekly.

Join us on March 21 at the Champlain Centre Mall in Plattsburgh, New York, for a celebration of clean water in the Lake Champlain Basin!

The event includes a Celebrate Water Contest, with awards presented for several categories of student work. Entries can include writing, essays, art, poetry, video, music, history, science or technology. Contest registration will open soon on the brand new WatershED Matters website!

Learn more and visit the new website →

With 26,177 feet of vertical drop, 9,000+ acres of recognized backcountry skiing terrain, 2,988 acres of alpine skiing terrain, and 367 miles of cross country ski trails in the Lake Champlain watershed, there’s no better place to Shred the ‘Shed! For this edition of Place in the Basin, we’ve ridden the lift to the top of a beloved local ski area that (here’s your hint) offers all of the above activities. Enter your guess for a chance to win Turning Stones: Discovering the Life of Water by Declan McCabe.

Enter Your Guess →

Improving Winter Road Maintenance

To improve winter road maintenance operations, Washington County partnered with the towns of Whitehall and Hampton and purchased four brine sprayers and four therma track ground temperature sensors. The equipment upgrades will allow both towns to reduce their salt usage in coming winters.

Involving Municipalities and Communities to Protect the Spiny Softshell Turtle

To increase awareness of the threats facing the endangered spiny softshell turtle, the Zoological Society of Granby produced a children’s book, installed an aquarium with live turtles in town halls, led conferences for city officials, and hosted the Mikinak Turtle Festival—during which hundreds of turtles were released. The project has furthered efforts to protect Lake Champlain’s ecosystems.

Waterways Stage Collaboration

During the 2024-2025 school year Very Merry Theatre’s Waterways Stage program, partnering with Lake Champlain Sea Grant and MycoEvolve, engaged 1,081 students in local watershed science. The 24 school groups enrolled in the program learned about local watershed science and created 15 original plays exploring environmental themes.

Warren County Culvert Assessment

Warren County assessed 424 culverts within the Lake Champlain Basin, then analyzed the data to prioritize culverts for replacement. The County will use the results of the assessment to develop a culvert management plan aimed at proactively addressing maintenance and replacement needs. The plan will help prevent costly failures and improve the health and connectivity of streams in the county.

The LCBP, in coordination with NEIWPCC, is pleased to announce these new funding opportunities:

Education and Outreach - Large

The intent of this funding opportunity is to support efforts to enhance public understanding of lake issues and foster greater stewardship.

Award Amount: $15,000 - $50,000, with approximately $400,000 in available funding
Deadline: January 5, 2026

Organizational Support

The intent of this funding opportunity is to assist watershed organizations with the early stages of their development or to assist established watershed organizations in strengthening their organizational capacity.

Award Amount: Up to $20,000, with approximately $250,000 in available funding
Deadline: January 5, 2026

Visit the LCBP website for details about these RFPs and to apply →

2026 Lake Champlain Research Conference

Lake Champlain Sea Grant, in partnership with the University of Vermont’s Water Resources Institute, the Lake Champlain Basin Program/NEIWPCC, and the Lake Champlain Research Consortium, is pleased to announce the next Lake Champlain Research Conference.

Burlington, Vermont. January 26-27, 2026
Learn more >>

Winter Species Illustration Workshop

Join staff from the LCBP and the Green Mountain Club for a winter species illustration workshop and short trail walk.

Waterbury Center, Vermont. February 14, 2026
Learn more (registration TBA) >>

Love the Lake Winter Speaker Series

Our Love the Lake winter speaker series will return in February and March! Save your Thursday evenings for a series of talks with speakers Graham Montague, Teage O'Connor in partnership with Wild Burlington, Dr. Michale Glennon, and Angie Grove.

Grand Isle, Vermont. February 12, February 17, March 12, and March 19, 2026

Save the Date: New England Estuarine Research Society (NEERS) Annual Meeting

This meeting will feature a special symposium on Lake Champlain, followed by two days of oral presentations and posters on the science and management of coastal marine and freshwater systems.

Plattsburgh, New York. April 23-25, 2026
Learn more >>
 

LCBP Committee Meetings

• Lake Champlain Executive Committee, January 22
• Lake Champlain Executive Committee, February 12

Additional meeting dates TBA. For the most up-to-date information please see the LCBP’s full meeting schedule →