Lake Champlain

With the end of the pandemic a number of communities are restoring summer festivities.  In Plattsburgh a number of events are planned throughout the summer with several occurring during a 10-day period starting Thursday.

The Lake Champlain Basin Program has released its tri-annual State of the Lake Report.  The assessment that reviews the water quality of Lake Champlain finds some progress has been made in cleaning up the lake, but new challenges are emerging.

The Plattsburgh area will host six tournaments on Lake Champlain this summer. Five will bring anglers seeking to win professional bass tournaments and another brings a national jet ski championship to the region.

The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation says more than $1.9 million will soon be available to help Vermont public schools and state colleges in the Lake Champlain basin meet a new stormwater regulation to reduce pollution from entering the lake.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says Vermont is behind schedule on a plan to develop a key pollution permit program to help clean up Lake Champlain.

The largest summer festival in New York’s North Country has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

New York’s history is largely defined by its waterways. But what about its future? The New York Power Authority recently authorized a $300 million plan to “reimagine” the state’s canals. While it primarily focuses on the Erie Canal, some of the state’s other waterways are receiving small makeovers this winter. WAMC’s Jesse King stopped along the Champlain Canal for an inside look at a lock pumpout.

Last week, the commander of the New York District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers toured Lake Champlain projects that improve water quality and prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.  Colonel Thomas Asbery tells WAMC’s North Country Bureau Chief Pat Bradley that his third visit to the watershed focused on invasive species prevention efforts.

Town of Plattsburgh officials have unveiled a new marker to promote tourism and foster a Lake Champlain legend.

Scientists studying Lake Champlain have confirmed that a new invasive species has entered the lake — and the population has surged since its first detection.

Meteorologists say Lake Champlain has been above flood stage for more than three weeks and the lake isn't expected to drop below flood stage for another week or so.

The Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife says thousands of alewives were found dead on the shores of Lake Champlain as the ice clears after the long winter.

Vermont’s senior U.S. senator was at the ECHO-Leahy Center for Lake Champlain in Burlington recently to announce renewed and increased funding to cleanup Lake Champlain.

Burlington, Vermont voters approved two bonds Tuesday totaling nearly $100 million to upgrade the high school and the city’s wastewater and stormwater infrastructure.

On Tuesday, Burlington voters will decide whether to approve nearly $30 million in bonds to improve the city’s wastewater and stormwater systems.

Burlington, Vermont officials will hold a town hall meeting Thursday to review a proposed plan to upgrade the city’s wastewater and stormwater infrastructure.

Last week, Burlington, Vermont’s mayor and Department of Public Works officials announced an accelerated plan to renovate the city’s wastewater and storm water system after chronic problems with overflows this summer.  The $30 million plan went before city councilors this week, who have sent it to the November ballot for voter approval.

The Lake Champlain Basin Program recently released its latest State Of The Lake report on the health of Lake Champlain.  While the report finds phosphorus is still problematic, there is some progress in other areas.

Vermont's Agency of Natural Resources Secretary wants to fund water quality improvements from the state's capital bill, money usually used to pay for large construction projects.

Officials from the U.S., Canada, New York, Vermont and Quebec were in Crown Point, New York this week to renew the Lake Champlain Basin Program’s management plan for the lake.

Plattsburgh officials have announced details of the 40th annual Mayor’s Cup festival and regatta.

A report issued this month assesses the changing salinity of freshwater lakes.  It finds increased sodium chloride in the North American lakes studied, most likely caused by using salt to de-ice roadways.

Vermont Governor Phil Scott says the state remains committed to seeing Lake Champlain cleaned up, even though the total estimated price tag over the next 20 years could exceed $1 billion.

Vermont's state treasurer says property owners could be on the hook for $25 million a year for a water cleanup initiative.