Photo of the equipment volunteers need to safely monitor for cyanobacteria.
Sign up for Cyanobacteria Monitor Training or an Info session. Photo by Lori Fisher, © Lake Champlain Committee.

Report on Lake Champlain conditions by becoming a cyanobacteria monitor!

Monitoring requirements for the 2021 season are listed below followed by a sign-up form. They currently include COVID-19 safety protocols, as they may still be required at some sites. To participate as a cyanobacteria volunteer monitor, individuals must:

  • Have weekly access to a public or private lakeshore location
    • LCC’s top priority is to add monitors to these public sites: list and map.
    • Sites not listed either already have monitors or are new sites that have never been monitored. 
    • If you’d like to monitor a new site not listed, please provide the site details in the form below. LCC can only add a few new sites each year and priority will be given to public sites. 
  • Attend an online training session (approximately two hours for returning monitors, three hours for new monitors)
  • Agree to the protocols in the form below.

The 2021 reporting season runs from the week of June 20 through mid-fall. LCC is also happy to train people who aren't able to provide weekly reports but are interested in learning how to recognize cyanobacteria.

Cyanobacteria Monitor Interest Form

Please Complete Form Below

Cyanobacteria Training Sessions

Select Your Monitoring Site

Returning monitors may select “same site(s) as last year” and new monitors should select their preferred monitoring site from the list of Public Site Coverage Needs in the drop down menu below. If you cannot monitor at any of these sites, use the next section to enter your desired site information.

If you’d like to monitor weekly at a site not listed above, provide the site type, site name, latitude and longitude.

NOTE: The site you’re interested in may already be covered by LCC volunteers or may be a new site that has not been monitored in the past. LCC can only create a few new sites each year and must prioritize public sites such as parks, beaches, and boat launches.

Site Coordinates

The easiest way to find the coordinates for your site is through Google Maps.

  1. Go to Google Maps.
  2. Click on the area of water closest to where you plan to conduct your assessment; when you click, a pin icon will appear.
  3. Google will automatically create the coordinates (for example, 44.461378, -73.221476). On a desktop computer, the coordinates will appear in a pop-up box; on a smartphone, you must click on the pin icon to view the coordinates.

Monitor Availability

Volunteer Agreements & Supplies

Monitoring Protocols & Safety During COVID-19

  • Attend an online training session (approximately two hours for returning monitors, three hours for new monitors)
  • Have weekly access to a public or private lakeshore location
  • Follow all applicable local, state, and federal COVID safety guidelines while monitoring and traveling across state borders for monitoring
  • Agree not to sample or assess conditions at any public locations if you are feeling sick, have COVID-19 symptoms, or have had close contact with anyone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days
  • Follow any posted COVID-19 guidelines at any public sites where you monitor and agree not to monitor if the site isn’t open for public use
  • Wear a face mask and practice physical distancing at public sites including state parks, beaches and boat launches if it’s required
  • Wear gloves and avoid dermal exposure when taking water samples
  • File weekly reports via an online form after meeting the above protocols
  • Read and follow guidance in the LCC weekly emails to monitors

Monitor Supplies

Monitor supplies will be distributed differently this year. Since training sessions will be virtual again, LCC will host Supply Pick-ups in northern, central, and southern locations in Vermont and one location in New York, pending monitor interest. Monitors will have a chance to safely connect with the LCC Team and fellow monitors at these Supply Pick-ups! These Supply Pick-ups will also give LCC the opportunity to take photos of monitors, with their permission, for use in program materials. We love highlighting the hard work of our dedicated volunteers in our weekly Cyano Report emails and on our website!

Monitors who are unable to attend a Supply Pick-up event can choose to have their supplies mailed to them. Quebec monitors should select to have their supplies mailed to them since the border is closed. Glass sampling jars will not be mailed but will be available at Supply Pick-up events. 

Use the form fields below to select the supplies you need and indicate how you would like to receive your supplies. LCC will do our best to match gloves size requests with our current inventory. 

Note on sizing: If you have more than one household monitor, choose multiple sizes. If you need the same size, select that and we will send you the correct number based on the monitors you listed above.