Hello LSC property owners. 

We are gearing up for the 2022 Lake Wise Program around Lake St. Catherine - and we are looking for property owners to sign up to participate this season.

In late January, we were informed by the Lake Champlain Basin Program that we had earned a grant in the amount of $24,970 for the 2022 Lake St. Catherine Lake Wise Program.

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.

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.

Stormwater has a widespread environmental impact which makes it a growing concern in Vermont and Lake St. Catherine. 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.

Shoreline property owners have the access and the ability to control what is happening directly at the lake'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.

In fact, after this season, Lake St. Catherine will be close earning the Gold Lake Wise Award. Lakes that have 15% of their lakeshore properties as participants in the Lake Wise Program will earn the Gold Lake Wise Award.

Last year, Lake Wise focused on properties on Little Lake, and we had great participation and results. This year, we are focusing on "high impact properties". While all property owners on Lake St. Catherine are eligible to sign up for Lake Wise, this year, we are particularly looking for properties where Lake Wise could have a significant impact with the help of the program.

If you have a property with any of the following characteristics - WE WANT YOU:

• A large amount of shoreline frontage
• Your lawn goes right down to the lake
• You have large areas of non-permeable surfaces 
• You're on the west side of the lake in zones of highest slope
• You're the Channel and experiencing shoreline erosion
• You live in zones where your neighbors are Lake Wise properties and can help us create entire Lake Wise neighborhoods

Enroll this month in the Lake Wise Program to receive complementary services, which could include: native buffer plantings, rain gardens, infiltration steps, erosion help, and other stormwater mitigation interventions this summer. These efforts help us all protect the lake from excessive nutrients that run across your property and into the lake which fuel milfoil growth and affect water quality.

Please contact us at info@lakestcatherine.org to sign up!

Together, we can maintain the pristine nature of Lake St. Catherine for years to come. Thank you for your stewardship and commitment.

Sincerely,

The Board of Trustees of the Lake St. Catherine Association