We are excited to report that the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) has awarded the Lake St. Catherine Association (LSCA) a grant in the amount of $24,970 for the 2022 Lake St. Catherine Lake Wise Program!

This year's project is entitled: “Creating a Critical Mass of Lake Stewards on Lake St. Catherine”, and will be implemented in partnership with the LSCA, the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resource Conservation District (PMNRCD) and new partner Castleton University (CU).

Lake Wise is a program developed by Vermont’s Lakes and Ponds Program to recognize outstanding efforts by homeowners who live along a lakeshore to protect the water quality and habitat along the shoreline and within the near-shore area of the lake. Four categories are assessed: The driveway and parking area, the structure (which includes roof, drainage, and septic), the recreation area (the lawn/footprint of non-natural, high-use yard areas), and the shoreline buffer area.

The goal of the Lake Wise program, from the Lake Wise website:

"The goal of Lake Wise is to establish a new normal, a new culture of lakeshore landscaping that is proven to help protect the lake. A property that earns the Lake Wise Award will represent a 'model' shoreland property. The Lake Wise Award certifies a property is well managed, using shoreland Best Management Practices, and is maintained to care for the lake."

Stormwater has a widespread environmental impact which makes it a growing concern in Vermont. In a statewide effort, towns and local organizations are working to implement large scale projects to help clean stormwater before it enters water bodies. Work is being done from the headwaters all the way down to the stream outlets. Excess nutrients in the water contribute to problems which affect both human and wildlife health including; lower oxygen levels in the water, toxic algae blooms, and excessive plant growth.

As a shoreline property owner, you have the access and the ability to control what is happening directly at the water's edge.

While small-scale improvements on individual properties may not seem like they have much impact, collectively the implementation of many small projects will have a positive benefit on the water quality in the lake and the surrounding watershed.

Actions now will promote a healthy lake environment that will continue to support swimming, fishing, boating, and wildlife viewing in the future.

This is such an important program for long term health of Lake St. Catherine, and we can all pitch in to make a difference.

If you are a LSC property owner who would like to be part of this program, please contact us at info@lakestcatherine.org so we can add you to our 2022 list. We’ll then contact you in the spring to set up an appointment. If you’d like to be part of the Lake Wise program, we want to hear from you.

- You can read more about the Lake Wise Program on Lake St. Catherine by clicking here. This page includes a map of the Lake Wise Award winning properties on Lake St. Catherine.

In 2021, the LSCA earned the same grant from LCBP to perform Lake Wise assessments, and to help property owners with projects on their land to mitigate stormwater runoff into the lake. In 2021, four properties won the Lake Wise Award! You can read about the 4 properties that earned the Lake Wise Award in 2021 by clicking here. This brings the total Lake Wise Award winning properties on LSC up to 16!

Property owners that participated in Lake Wise but did not qualify for the Award can continue to work on their shorelines with the LSCA and PMNRCD to raise their assessment score. Three of the four award winners in 2021 had their initial assessment done in 2020. After some projects were implemented this year, their properties qualified, and they are now award winners. To date, 57 properties have participated in the Lake Wise Program, and have at least received an initial assessment.

Some stats from the 2021 program:

• 24 property owners signed up for Lake Wise
• 20 assessments were completed (some assessments are awaiting property owner input)
• 89 written recommendations were made to property owners by PMNRCD staff
• 22 projects were implemented, including: vegetated buffer plantings, infiltration step installation, culvert stabilization efforts, and rain garden construction
• 340 feet of shoreline buffers were installed
• 412 native plants planted
• 40 live stake cuttings planted
• 4 Lake Wise Award winners!

...and we are ready to do it again this year! 

The LSCA would like to help all Lake St. Catherine property owners implement best practices to mitigate stormwater on their properties, and help them to earn the Lake Wise award. If you would like to have your property assessed, please email us at info@lakestcatherine.org.