Champlain Aquatic invasive Monitoring Program (CHAMP) Sign-up Form

LCC CHAMP volunteer Jeff van den Noort tosses an aquatic rake into the water while surveying for aquatic invasive species. LCC provides CHAMP volunteers with these rakes as fun tools to collect specimens.

Aquatic invasive species (AIS) threaten Lake Champlain’s ecology, economy, and recreation. LCC launched the Champlain Aquatic invasive Monitoring Program (CHAMP) to enlist and train community science volunteers to assist with AIS identification and spread prevention. Anyone with access to public or private Lake Champlain shoreline areas and several hours of free time during the summer and early fall months can get involved.

CHAMP volunteers receive annual training, equipment, and support  to survey for AIS in Lake Champlain. Participants walk or boat along shoreline sites, rake in samples of aquatic life, and report their findings of key target invasive species to LCC at least three times during the summer and fall.

Golden clams (Corbicula fluminea) biofoul--or accumulate in large numbers--on lakebeds, ship hulls, docks, and pipes. They also alter benthic substrates and compete with native species for limited resources. A golden clam was found by an LCC CHAMP volunteer in the South Lake region of Lake Champlain during a CHAMP survey in 2024.

The data gathered by dedicated CHAMP community science volunteers, helps identify where AIS are and aren’t established and aids in early detection and rapid response to prevent invaders from colonizing new areas. We train volunteers in identification of “watch list” AIS that have been reported in the Hudson and Richelieu rivers  and other nearby waterbodies, but not yet Lake Champlain. In 2024, an LCC CHAMP volunteer detected the first observation of invasive golden clams (Corbicula fluminea) in the South Lake region. CHAMP gets more trained eyes on the lake to search for watchlist AIS and identify new encroachments of invasives already in the lake which is essential to spread prevention and AIS management.

CHAMP volunteers are required to:

  • Have access to a public or private lakeshore location on Lake Champlain for at least three surveys over the course of the June-October season. LCC's top priority is to have public access sites monitored, with emphasis on the South Lake and Main Lake North regions of Lake Champlain.
  • Watch a virtual training and attend an in-person session to learn about aquatic species identification and CHAMP survey methods. LCC will follow up when dates are set in spring 2025.
  • Conduct and submit at least three surveys for key target AIS at a selected site between June and October.

LCC supports CHAMP volunteers by:

  • Providing a virtual training session presented with AIS professionals to share background on AIS, key watch species, and outline survey and reporting protocols.
  • Hosting in-person training sessions. 
  • Supplying AIS rakes for surveying, loupes and bins to aid in identification, native aquatic plant cards to help differentiate some common flora from AIS, re-sealable plastic bags for specimen collection, data sheets, AIS identification resources, survey instructions and forms.
  • Being available for ongoing technical support for surveying and reporting throughout  the field season.

Help protect Lake Champlain’s ecological health by joining LCC’s 2025 team of CHAMP community science volunteers! 

CHAMP Volunteer Sign-up

* Indicates required information which must be completed for the form to be submitted.

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.

​​Training Sessions

  • Access a public or private lakeshore location at least three times during the monitoring season. LCC's top priority is to have public access sites monitored. If you are accessing private sites, you must have permission to do so.
  • Complete both the virtual and on-site training sessions.
  • Choose a site (multiple sites are encouraged!) and conduct at least three AIS surveys between June andy the end of October 2025 at your site(s).
  • Submit survey data in a timely manner after completion—this is crucial for early detection rapid response protocols.
  • Collect specimens of suspected watchlist species and follow instructions on submitting specimens to state government agencies.
  • Read and follow assessment and reporting guidance provided by LCC throughout the season.
  • Follow all applicable local, state, and federal laws and COVID-19 safety guidelines while monitoring and traveling across state and provincial borders for monitoring.

IMPORTANT NOTE - when you click "submit" on this form, you'll be shown a copy of your completed form. You have to scroll down and select "Next" if the form is ready to be sent or "Previous" if you need to go back and change anything. You'll receive an auto-response email after successfully sending in your form - if you don't get that email, reach out to lcc@ lakechamplaincommittee.org.