Photo by Nathan Mauser.

Nutrient Pollution

Excess nutrients can disrupt lake ecosystems by fueling excessive growth of algae and aquatic plants, degrading water clarity, reducing oxygen levels, and harming fish and wildlife habitat. Nutrients enter the lake from many sources, including agricultural runoff, stormwater, wastewater and septic systems, eroding streambanks, and nutrient-rich sediments that can release nutrients back into the water. Climate change, particularly increased precipitation and more intense storms, has amplified these impacts by increasing runoff across the basin. 

Phosphorus

Phosphorus is the primary nutrient driving water quality issues in Lake Champlain. Elevated phosphorus levels in a lake can shift the biological community to domination by weeds and algae. Sediments can be a source of phosphorus and they also smother wildlife habitat. The Lake Champlain Committee advocates for better control of nutrient pollution in Lake Champlain through improved agricultural policies and programs; better management of stormwater by municipalities, residents, and states; clear and consistent enforcement of water rules and regulations; and active engaged community members that do their part to reduce personal impacts on water quality. 

Despite extensive recent efforts to reduce pollution, the amount of phosphorus in the lake has not changed in most places and appears to be increasing in some lake segments. Wetter-than-normal weather and an increase in the population of the Lake Champlain Basin are thought to be the two most significant causes of increased phosphorus loading. 

Nitrogen

Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plants and animals, occurring in water in forms such as nitrate, nitrite, and ammonium. In natural systems, nitrogen cycles between the atmosphere, soils, plants, and water. However, when excess nitrogen enters lakes and streams it can contribute to water quality problems. 

Nitrogen enters Lake Champlain and its tributaries from many of the same pathways as phosphorus, including agricultural fertilizers and manures, wastewater and septic discharges, stormwater runoff, and atmospheric deposition. Since nitrate is highly soluble and stable, it can move easily with runoff and through groundwater into surface waters. 

While phosphorus remains the primary nutrient driving water quality issues in Lake Champlain, nitrogen also plays an important role and may become more influential as climate change increases runoff and alters lake conditions. 

Don’t ‘P’ on Your Lawn

Phosphorus (P) enters our waterways through a variety of sources, and one of them can be your own backyard. Lawn and garden fertilizers--organic and conventional--contribute phosphorus in runoff. About one-sixth of Lake Champlain’s phosphorus problem is from developed lands, and one acre of urban/suburban land contributes about twice as much phosphorus to the Lake as one acre of farm land!

Thanks to advocacy from the Lake Champlain Committee and partners, Vermont and New York passed restrictions on P in lawn fertilizer in 2012. The restrictions, however, include exceptions for new lawns and for phosphorus-deficient soils. This means that many retailers still sell phosphorus-containing fertilizers, and for people not aware of the restrictions, it is easy to add unnecessary “P” to lawns by accident.

Don't ‘P’ on your lawn! Follow these easy lawn care steps to keep the green in the grass and out of the lake:

  • Fertilize
    • Only with phosphorus-free fertilizers. Most northeastern lawns and 75% of lawns in Chittenden County, Vermont tested by the University had enough phosphorus (P) and only need nitrogen (N)! A soil survey of St. Albans, VT also showed excessive levels of phosphorus there. Similar results have been found for upstate NY.
    • Apply fertilizer once/year—the best time for this region is early fall.
    • Sweep up fertilizer from sidewalks and driveways. Don’t fertilize before heavy rain.
  • Take a soil test
    • If you are seeding a new lawn, or want to learn more about your lawn’s nutrient content, pH level and organic content.
  • Look for the middle number
    • On fertilizer bags to see the N-P-K nutrient analysis. The middle number is the phosphate (phosphorus) content. A “zero” in the middle means it is phosphorus-free. Lawns rarely need extra potassium (K), but adding some does not affect water quality.
  • Become a Phosphorus Investigator (P.I.) with LCC!
    • Having clear signage and educational materials available at lawn and garden stores helps inform customers of the importance of using P-free fertilizers. LCC needs volunteers to visit their local lawn and garden stores, check out what kind of fertilizers they’re selling and how it’s displayed, and offer signage and educational materials to store personnel. You can do a quick assessment at one store while running errands, or you can spend an afternoon visiting multiple stores. Sign up as a P.I. on our General Volunteer Interest Form.

LCC’s Past and Ongoing Projects

  • Helped launch one of the longest running community monitoring programs in the country. The data gathered by volunteers leverages state resources and has been instrumental in guiding policy decisions.
  • Advocated for a joint New York, Vermont, and Quebec approach to reduce nutrient loading. 
  • Pushed for boat holding tank laws to make dumping boat waste illegal on the lake. 
  • Lobbied for sewage treatment upgrades and phosphorus removal at wastewater treatment plants.
  • Pushed for a more stringent standard of phosphorus removal for Lake Champlain wastewater treatment plants.
  • Secured passage of the first ban on phosphorus in the laundry detergents, resulting in the most significant reduction in pollution loading the lake has seen. 
  • Advanced legislation to close a loophole that had allowed continued phosphorus use in automatic dishwasher detergents. The legislation went into effect in 2010. 
  • Supported Best Management Practices for farms and the adoption of nutrient management plans to reduce phosphorus loading from agriculture.
  • Helped establish numeric water quality standards for phosphorus levels in the lake. LCC co-wrote the standards and worked to ensure their adoption. Without numeric standards it is unlikely that the clean-up efforts of the last decade would have happened.
  • Earned endorsement from the states of New York and Vermont and the province of Quebec of numeric water quality standards as part of an international water quality agreement. 
  • Successfully advocated for New York, Vermont and Quebec commitments to accelerate nutrient reduction actions.
  • Brought increased attention, funding and restoration work to Missisquoi Bay, St. Albans Bay, the areas of the lake that suffer most dramatically from excess phosphorus loading. 
  • Current member Lake Champlain Basin Phosphorus Reduction Task Force, which we helped initiate.
  • Current member of the Vermont Citizens’ Advisory Committee on the Future of Lake Champlain.
  • Developed the Lake Champlain Protection Pledge – an opportunity for all citizens to reduce their impacts on the lake.
  • Helped initiate the Don’t P on Your Lawn campaign – an educational outreach effort to reduce unnecessary application of phosphorus lawn fertilizer.
  • Helped pass restrictions on phosphorus in lawn fertilizer that went into effect in 2012.
  • Collaborated on materials that were published to educate on lawn fertilizer restrictions. Read Don't P on Your Lawn Flier 1 and Don't P on your Lawn Flier 2 to learn more.
  • Created a Phosphorus Investigator--'P'I--program for volunteers to share Don't P on Your Lawn educational materials with lawn and garden retailers 
  • Helped create the Lawn to Lake Collaborative, which promotes climate-smart, lake-friendly lawn practices designed to reduce phosphorus-laden runoff from lawns.