LCC Lake Ripples - Summer 2011

LCC E-NEWS BULLETIN

Algae Monitoring Starts Up

LCC began its ninth season of our award-winning blue-green algae monitoring program in early July. Volunteer monitors take samples once per week at selected locations around the lake. The samples are then analyzed by the Rubenstein School of Natural Resources at the University of Vermont for the presence of blue-green algae and any toxins they might produce. The information generated is used to inform public health officials of any potentially toxic algae blooms on the lake. The monitoring season runs from the fourth of July through Labor Day.

Many thanks to all the volunteers that help us with monitoring efforts :Allan Carpenter (Red Rocks), Stephanie Kurchberg (North Beach), Catherine Brooks (Ferrisburgh Town Beach), Deb Diemand (Shoreham), Jon McBride and Amy Calkins (Begg’s Park), Bob Murphy (Willsboro Bay), Mary Simmers, Gerry Duprey, and Gerry O’Conner (Point Au Roche), Gary Molinski (Rouses Point), Doug Ward (North Hero State Park), Sally and Jim Brabham (Carry Bay), Larry and Jeannine Pratt (Pelots Bay), David Greenough (City Bay), Eric Wolinsky and Keith Peterson (St. Albans Bay Park), Kaylee Pollander (Maquam Shore), Martha Perry (Donaldson Point), Mike Roach (Shipyard), Bob Martell (Chapman Bay), Bill Magnus (Rock River and High Rocks).

Giant Hogweed found in Essex

Giant Hogweed (the tall white flowered plant) among wild parsnip (yellow flowers) near Essex ferry launch. Photo by Meghan Johnstone, APIP steward.

An astute resident found a new population of an invasive species near the ferry dock in Essex, NY. The plant, giant hogweed, is a federally listed noxious weed within the carrot family. Exposure to its sap can cause severe skin irritation, blistering, scarring and even blindness. The plant can grow up to 12 feet in height. Dr. Alan V. Tasker, of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Noxious Weed Program, says people can distinguish giant hogweed from other species of the carrot family, not only by its gargantuan size, but by its purple-splotched, hairy stems. “Cow parsnip stems have a more ‘furry’ look to them, whereas the hogweed has long, white hairs which are most pronounced at the base of the leaf petiole (stem). But the foliage of cow parsnips and giant hogweeds before they send up flower stalks is so similar it’s almost impossible to tell them apart.”

Giant hogweed is a native of the Caucasus Mountain region between the Black and Caspian Seas. It was introduced to Europe and the United Kingdom in the late nineteenth century and to the United States in the early twentieth century as an ornamental garden plant. It has become established in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Oregon, Washington, Michigan, Virginia, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Seeds may also be distributed by birds and waterways, and can remain viable for over 10 years.

NY DEC working in collaboration with town officials and The Nature Conservancy began immediate efforts to eradicate the Essex population and prevent its spread.

2011 Trail Guidebook Available Now!<br>Get your copy by joining LCC or renewing your membership!

Photo by Trip Kinney.

The 2011 edition of the Lake Champlain Paddlers' Trail Guidebook and Stewardship Manual is out! It’s jam-packed with important information for great adventures on the water including site descriptions and chartlets for 39 Trail locations (with access to over 600 campsites), launch site listings, natural history articles, safety and stewardship tips, equipment check lists and more! - And it's available to all members who renew annually for $40 or more. Click here to make an online donation to ensure you have the guidebook in hand for the rest of this paddling season. Sincere thanks to all the federal, state, and municipal staff and the many volunteers who worked tirelessly to clean up recreation areas and Trail sites and ready them for the season. In June many Trail locations were still under water or affected by the flooding. Without the tremendous effort of many people, we would not have been able to open as many Trail sites this year. Our sincere thanks to all who participated in the clean up. Here’s to happy, safe adventures on the water!

Tugboat Clean-up Set to Start

Schuyler Island about 1/3rd of a mile northwest of Schuyler Reef, site of the 1963 shipwreck. Photo by John Weiss via Flickr.com.

The owners of a tugboat that sank on Lake Champlain in 1963, the week before President Kennedy’s assassination, has agreed to begin efforts to remove any residual fuel left on the boat. The tug, an oil tanker, struck Schuyler Reef and sank in waters over 100’ deep. According to an AP report, McAllister Towing and Transportation Co. is negotiating with a Buffalo company to send a diver to the wreck to see if any fuel remains aboard. The expedition had originally been planned for late May, but high lake levels forced a delay.

Champlain Power Line Update

A cross section of one of the cables proposed for burial in the lake bed.

Transmission Developers, Inc. (TDI), a Canadian Company, is continuing to push for an electric power line to be placed on the bottom of Lake Champlain and the Hudson River.

The line would provide energy for the New York City area. TDI has made some changes in their preliminary design so that they would now avoid wetlands in the narrow southern part of Lake Champlain routing the line overland in that stretch. LCC had raised this concern in meetings regarding the project. TDI is currently making its case before the New York Public Service Commission and a joint proposal is anticipated by August 12th. In a recent press release the company touted support from 20 members of the New York State Congressional Delegation including Representative Bill Owens of Plattsburgh.

Flooding creates navigation challenges in South Lake

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers clear debris from a landslide triggered by lake flooding at the Narrows in the town of Dresden, New York. Photo courtesy of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The Albany Times Union reported that this year’s lake flooding has led to some navigational challenges in the South Lake. Portions of the shoreline have broken off creating ‘islands’ as large as half an acre within navigation channels. In mid-July, the US Army Corps of Engineers used a floating crane to remove trees boulders and other debris from the lake at Maple Bend in Dresden; the result of a landslide reported on July 6th. Additional large segments of shoreline broke free and started floating in South Bay. According to Dave Winchell of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, the largest of these segments has come to rest against a jetty leading to the South Bay fishing pier, while it is unclear what happened to the other pieces.

Nature Note – Frog Calls

Listen for the bullfrog’s “jug-o-rum” mating call in mid summer. Photo by TheBrit_2 via Flickr.

In early July gray tree frogs can still be heard calling for mates, but by the end of the month bullfrog (jug-o-rum) and green frog (like a single tong from a banjo string) calls become more prominent. Tree frogs breed earlier in the season because they utilize vernal pools for laying eggs. The advantage of vernal pools is that they hold fewer predators. The disadvantage is that the eggs must hatch and the tadpoles mature before the pools dry up. In contrast bullfrog and green frog tadpoles breed in permanent bodies of water. Their tadpoles will spend at least one winter in the water before maturing.

Clean Lake Tips for Saving Water Outdoors:

  • Step on it: Grass doesn’t always need water just because it’s hot out. Step on the lawn, and if the grass springs back, then it doesn’t need water. An inexpensive soil moisture sensor can also show the amount of moisture at the plant’s roots and discourage overwatering.
  • Time it right: It’s best to water lawns and landscapes in the early morning and late evening because significant amounts of water can be lost due to evaporation at other times of day.
  • Tune up your system: Inspect any irrigation systems you might have and check for leaks and broken or clogged sprinkler heads. Fix sprinkler heads that are broken or spraying on the street or driveway.
  • Give your hose a break: Sweep driveways, sidewalks, and steps rather than hosing them off. And don’t forget to check for leaks at your spigot connection and tighten as necessary.
  • Leave it long: Raise your lawn mower blade. Longer grass promotes deeper root growth, resulting in a more drought resistant lawn, reduced evaporation, and fewer weeds.

Lake Look - The Season of Peak Water Waste

Summer is here. Swimmers no longer need to brave the cold as the lake has warmed up over 700 F according to USGS gauges. The lake level, though still high, has receded well below flood stage. The first harvests of the gardens are in and gardeners need to turn their attention to weeding and watering.

Summer’s rising temperatures often coincide with rising water use. “Peak” water use describes the time of year when residential water use is at its highest due to an increase in outdoor water use, usually from late July through early August. The amount of water homeowners use to keep their lawns green or fill their backyard pools spikes during this season—to the tune of about four times as much water or more than the rest of the year. Some homes use as much as 3,000 gallons on a peak day, or the equivalent of leaving a garden hose running for nearly 8 hours. MORE


Lake Champlain Committee Board of Directors:
Alan Booth (Plattsburgh, NY), Susan Coffey (Plattsburgh, NY), Megan Epler Wood (Burlington, VT), Gary Kjelleren (South Hero, VT), Sandy Montgomery (Montreal, QC), Sharon Murray (Bolton, VT), Ann Ruzow Holland (Willsboro, NY), Jim Schweithelm (Burlington, VT), Mary Van Vleck (Charlotte, VT).

Lake Champlain Committee Staff:
Lori Fisher, Executive Director
Jessica Rossi, Office Manager
Mike Winslow, Staff Scientist

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