Following the record-setting lake flooding of spring 2011 the International Joint Commission (IJC) appointed a Workgroup to recommend studies of measures to mitigate flooding and the impacts of flooding in the Richelieu River and Lake Champlain Basin. That group recently released a draft report which outlines three options for examining the problem and recommends the most comprehensive of those options, $14 million worth of studies.

The Workgroup will hold three public meetings to hear comments and opinions on the subject. The first two meetings are set for 7:00 - 9:00 PM on Monday March 11 at the ECHO Lake Aquarium in Burlington and the Hampton Inn & Suites in Plattsburgh. The third meeting will take place from 7:00 - 9:00 PM on Tuesday March 12 at the Hotel Relais Gouverneur in Saint Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. Comments may also be submitted to the IJC website (where you can also find the draft report), and the comment period is open until March 18. Please show up at the public meetings or write to the IJC and tell them that you do not support any studies that would further steps toward lake level regulation. Read more on LCC's website.

The State of Vermont is considering legislation that would increase protection of lake shorelines. The Lake Champlain Committee supports this effort (see recent issue of Lake Look) and has identified it as one of our top priorities for action coming out of the Agency of Natural Resources Act 138 report delivered to the legislature in January. LCC asks all Vermont members to please contact your legislator to express support for greater shoreline protections. There will be a public hearing on Tuesday March 12 from 6:00 - 8:00 PM in Montpelier at the Statehouse in Room 11. Please come out and support our lakes.

Naturally vegetated shorelines protect water quality and ecological health. The roots provide bank stability. During the Lake Champlain floods of 2011, vegetated shorelines resisted erosion better than grassy shores or even areas with retaining walls. The over-hanging branches shade the water. That shade, plus wood that falls into the lake from the shoreline, provides better habitat for fish. Autumn leaves falling from the trees create habitat for insects upon which the fish feed. Vegetated shorelines help treat stormwater pollution. A 100-foot vegetated buffer absorbs 73% of stormwater runoff; a bare grass lawn absorbs only 18%. Cleared shorelines contribute 18 times more sediment, five times more runoff and seven times more phosphorus to the lake than those where the shoreline is wooded. Steven Carpenter, a renowned limnologist, described riparian vegetation as the “number one way to build resilience to climate change for lakes”. Read more on LCC's website.

Join Senator Bernie Sanders, Bill McKibben, LCC and Vermont and national leaders from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM on Saturday March 16 at Montpelier High School for informative workshops about what climate change means for Vermont and what we can do about it. Learn about global warming impacts on Lake Champlain, agriculture, forestry, infrastructure, tourism and our economy. Participate in discussions and share ideas on how to promote clean energy solutions, land use adaptations, and infrastructure resiliency through federal, state, and local policies. The conference is presented by Senator Sanders in conjunction with the Lake Champlain Committee, NWF, UVM, VNRC, and VPIRG. The event is free and lunch is provided! RSVPs are appreciated but not required (1-800-399-9834 or via Facebook).

LCC, the US Environmental Protection Agency and other WaterSense partners are promoting a week focused on water conservation. Wasting water wastes energy and money and can contribute <link lcc-at-work water-conservation _blank internal link in current>to lake pollution. Get a jump on the week by reviewing your water bills and seeing how much water you consume, then visit <link lcc-at-work water-conservation _blank internal link in current>LCC's Water Conservation page or EPA's WaterSense site for <link lcc-at-work water-conservation water-conservation-tips-for-the-home _blank external link in new>additional water saving tips.

To help save water, check, twist, and replace:

• Check for leaks. Look for dripping faucets, showerheads, and fixture connections. Also check for toilets with silent leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring into the tank and seeing if it appears in the bowl before you flush.

• Twist and tighten pipe connections. To save more water without a noticeable difference in flow, twist on a WaterSense labeled faucet aerator.

• Replace the fixture if necessary. Look for WaterSense labeled models, which are independently tested and certified to use 20 percent less water and perform as well as or better than standard models. Fixture replacement parts often pay for themselves, and they can be installed quickly by a handy do-it-yourselfer or plumbing professional.

Here's early notice that our annual gathering will be held Saturday, September 14, 2013 at Flat Rock Camp in Willsboro, New York. Further details will follow as we get closer to the date but please mark your calendars and plan to join us in celebrating this special anniversary with reflections on our past and a look to the future. Many thanks to hosts Peter and Patty Paine and the generous sponsorship of Champlain National Bank. Please contact LCC Executive Director Lori Fisher (lorif@ lakechamplaincommittee.org) if you'd like to help with the event or contribute time and talents to our 50th year.

Lake Champlain Committee Staff Scientist Mike Winslow was recently appointed to chair the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for  the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP). The TAC is composed of professionals from academia, state and federal agencies, and other arenas, and is charged with identifying key technical information critical to lake management, advising the Basin Program about emerging issues, and developing and overseeing technical aspects of projects. As the chair of the TAC, Mike now also sits on the LCBP Steering Committee, a body charged with coordinating lake management, securing and directing funding for the lake, and developing the Basin Program’s annual budget. “It is a great honor to serve as TAC chair,” Mike said. “I look forward to using the position to help advance lake restoration goals.”

In just the past few months the TAC has overseen a variety of projects that improve lake stewardship. Recently completed projects include an identification of barriers to fish passage in the Ausable River network that will help prioritize culvert projects that protect against flooding and promote healthy fish populations, a water quality monitoring program on the Chazy River, and a project that quantified sediment and phosphorus loading for portions of the Missisquoi River watershed helping us understand the importance of this so far under estimated phosphorus source. Read more on LCC's website.

Something about a wooded lakeshore invites exploration. Poking along in a canoe beneath the low-hung boughs of a cedar or birch tree you never know what you might find. Aesthetic draw is only one of the many benefits that natural shorelines offer. Yet, undeveloped shorelines have become increasingly rare. Learn more about how naturally vegetated shorelines resist erosion, provide fish habitat, treat stormwater and build resilience for climate change in this issue of LakeLook.

Why is ice so hard and slippery? What are pressure ridges and how do they form? Can we expect lake effect snow this month? Can fish get the flu? How do the lake’s turtles survive the winter? Find the answers to these and many more questions in Lake Champlain: A Natural History. LCC’s award-winning book provides a wonderful introduction to our beautiful, "great" Lake. Get a copy today for yourself or fellow lake lover.

We are looking for several items in good condition to help our office and field programs hum along more smoothly. Please contact LCC Office Manger Jessica Rossi at jessicar@ lakechamplaincommittee.org or (802) 658-1414 if you can provide any of the following:

• An energy efficient refrigerator/freezer standing model
• Bicycle for carbon-free commuting to meetings and lakeside location
• Laptop computer for field outings
• Color laser printer
• Laminator for outreach work