The Vermont DEC will be at Lake St. Catherine on Monday, June 23rd and Tuesday, June 24th to perform tests as a follow up on the discovery of the half zebra mussel shell in the late fall of 2024, which you can read about here.
This testing is part of an invasive crustacean and mollusk distribution project supported by the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP).
They will perform the following tests over these 2 days around the Fish & Wildlife Access Area boat launch in Wells, and at the State Park launch in Poultney:
- eDNA sampling for dreissenid (zebra & quagga) mussels (qPCR)
- 10 crayfish traps per site (sampling for rusty crayfish), set along a 50 m transect
- Timed search for additional mollusks and crustaceans
- Plankton net sampling for spiny waterflea and fishhook water flea
We thank the DEC and LCBP for their efforts in support of Lake St. Catherine!
We all need to be vigilant when dealing with aquatic invasive species (AIS) that could potentially infest the lake. This is why our Greeter and Vermont Invasive Patroller (VIP) Programs are so important.
Our Greeters inspect boats for AIS as they enter and exit the lake, but we only have enough funding and personnel to cover the public access on Friday - Sunday from Labor Day to Memorial Day, along with holidays and fishing tournaments. Also, boats and other vessels can be launched at other areas around the lake. It is critically important to “Clean, Drain, Dry” vessels and equipment that will be going into the water to prevent the spread of AIS.
The VIP Program paddles areas where vessels would be launched, like at the public access, at the State Park, and at Wells Lakeside Park using underwater viewers to look for potential new introductions of AIS. This program is an early warning system for finding new AIS that have made their way into the lake so they can be quickly addressed.
The VIP Program is a volunteer initiative. If you like paddling, and would like to learn more about the lake, please reach out to let us know you’d be interested in participating at info@lakestcatherine.org. You can learn more about the Vermont Invasive Patroller (VIP) Program on LSC here.
What can you do to help protect the lake from AIS? Become a member of the LSCA, volunteer, keep an eye on your shoreline and be sure to Clean, Drain, Dry any vessel coming in contact with the lake.
Thank you!
