Lake Champlain Committee

Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) great team work supports our environment with actions and ongoing education for community and volunteers. I am one of those volunteers. Really appreciate Lori Fisher’s top notice training and the continuing updates. The LCC advocacy helps folks to better understand the interrelationship of our actions and ecosystems. Just to mention a few of the leadership endeavors - land use management, recreation, scientific monitoring/survey, legislative - all of which leading to healthy watershed. Those efforts make a difference! THANK YOU Lake Champlain Committee for all the engagement!

My family gathers each summer on Lake Champlain, so I've heard the Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) mentioned throughout my life, but I never knew much about the organization until my Dad suggested this spring that I become a volunteer cyanobacteria monitor. Being a citizen scientist for the LCC has been fascinating and empowering. I've learned so much - not just about water quality through the excellent training and support resources the LCC provides to its volunteers, but also through the experience of consistently going to the same site each week, observing conditions, and talking with members of the public about what I'm seeing and why I am doing this. It's gratifying to meet other volunteers doing the same work, and to see the weekly newsletter highlighting conditions in different parts of the lake. Recently I had the opportunity to join the LCC's new invasive species monitoring program, and enjoyed meeting other volunteers during an in-person training - and getting to throw a rake into the lake and sort through masses of vegetation, trying to distinguish between native and invasive species. The LCC uses an effective combination of remote and in-person training and support, and coordinates among various organizations and entities in New York, Vermont and Quebec that care about Lake Champlain. I applaud the LCC's hands-on approach to environmental advocacy. I truly feel a part of the organization's work - and while the real-time information the LCC provides about the state of the lake is at times alarming, I feel like I can be part of the solution in ways I could never have managed on my own.

I have been a volunteer cyanobacteria monitor with the Lake Champlain Committee for the 2023 season, and they have been a wonderful organization to work with. They provide all the training and materials to help you become a successful monitor, and they are quick to respond to any questions or concerns you may have. The staff is knowledgeable and their website is a great resource for water quality information.

For the past two years I have been a LCC volunteer on Miles Pond in Concord VT. I have been very impressed with the LCC staff dedication to keeping our lakes clean. They are always available to answer questions and help. This program is so important to the state and I am proud to be part of the team.

I’ve been involved with the LCC for over six years as a volunteer Cyanobacteria monitor on Lake Champlain. In that time, I have continually been impressed with the professionalism, passion, and courteousness exhibited by Lori & her staff. All of this is done without compromising critical data accuracy. From what I have observed, LCC provides a crucial service while operating on a shoestring budget as interns come and go. I am proud to be a small part of this well-oiled machine.

I have known Lori Fisher for at least forty years. I have admired, respected, and been impressed by her leadership of the Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) and the dynamic effectiveness of LCC’s advocacy.

I have supported the Lake Champlain Committee by being a member for many of those years, being a volunteer, and as a part of the formal monitoring program since its inception 20 years ago.

The quality of the Lake Champlain Committee advocacy is based on the excellent scientific data they have collected. This also has been one of the most important elements in the concerted advocacy of others for environmental protection for our Lake Champlain basin. Those efforts include success in legislative initiatives, funding for phosphorus mitigation, and the Lake Shore Protection Act.

It has been an honor to be associated with the Lake Champlain Committee.

The Lake Champlain Committee is an outstanding and highly respected nonprofit organization that is providing critical information concerning water quality in Lake Champlain and other fresh water systems in Vermont and neighboring New York State. This organization is led by a team of highly skilled and extremely dedicated individuals and supported by a large group of well-trained and committed volunteers. Through the efforts of these citizen scientists, an expanding dataset of information relevant to the future heath and beauty of our waterways is emerging.

When I first started summering on Lake Champlain ten years ago, I was astounded by the beauty of the lake and surrounding basins, and now live here year round. As I became aware of the presence of increasing levels of cyanobacteria caused by pollution from farming and industrial run-off, and amplified by changing climate, I felt compelled to learn about this threat to the lake and help in some way. I learned of the Lake Champlain Committee monitoring program from a friend who is an LCC volunteer, and after 'diving' into the LCC website, I knew that becoming a volunteer monitor was the right thing to do.
Lori Fisher and her team are dedicated, highly knowledgeable and passionate about protecting the lake's waters, and the LCC organization is top-notch. They provide excellent training, resources and support for volunteer monitors, as well as comprehensive weekly tracking reports of lake conditions for public information on the website during the monitoring season. Thank you, Lori, Alexa, et al, for all that you do! I am proud to be associated with the Lake Champlain Committee.

Lake Champlain Committee does invaluable work bringing a huge community of citizens/professionals together to raise awareness about the health of Lake Champlain and improve water quality for its entire water basin. Hundreds of citizen volunteers, municipal leaders, parks employees and more are trained to observe and collect data regarding water quality, all coordinated by this fantastic non-profit. The professionalism, determination and commitment of its small staff is inspiring.

Lake Champlain Committee is a volunteer organization dedicated to maintaining and improving the health of our Vermont lakes. My role with LCC was a weekly lake water quality monitor- specifically around Cyanobacteria.
This organization is stellar, providing professional training, communications, management and coordination.
Responses from our volunteer coordinators are almost instantaneous and results in the best possible data that we can collect.
The professionalism of the organization would make one think that there is a large team of highly compensated scientists managing this effort which we are certain are not the case.
Strong smart people dedicated to our environment. I am privileged to be associated with them.

Lake Champlain Committee is an excellent organization that connects professionals, community members, and citizen scientists who are all interested in the health of Lake Champlain and the surrounding watersheds. When populations of cyanobacteria exceed normal levels, they pose a health risk to humans and animals. The increased presence of cyanobacteria is also a sign of unbalanced natural systems. Keeping track of blooms and the general presence of the vast array of cyanobacteria species is essential in a time of increasing global temperatures and nutrient overload in our waterways. I have been a cyanobacteria monitor for two years now and feel the work LCC and its volunteers do crucial. The staff extremely supportive by providing excellent trainings and ways for the community to engage. LCC encourages the community to learn more about the ways in which our waters are being affected by cyanobacteria and how we can make a difference in preventing cyanobacterial blooms. I look forward to continuing to volunteer with with LCC in the future. Vermont is lucky to have such a dedicated organization of professionals and citizen scientists.

I volunteered for the Lake Champlain Committee for the first time this year. It was truly a rewarding experience and I learned so much about preservation and the health of beautiful Lake Champlain. From the first zoom training program I attended I knew how much the organization cared about educating their volunteers. Every week I got an email update from Lori Fisher and each week I learned more and more about monitoring and what was going on with the environment I love so much. The staff is so supportive and available.
I live on the shoreline near Crane Point and had always been concerned about Cyanobacteria as are my neighbors. I wanted to learn as much as I could about what is in the water my dogs and I swim in.
I was so grateful to find the monitoring program and become part of a solution to a problem. The Lake Champlain Committee is a wonderful resource and I hope to be able to volunteer for many years to come.

Bravo Lori and your amazing LCC staff and team of 400+ Cyanobacteria Monitor Volunteers dedicated to health and safety on our beloved Lake Champlain

The Lake Champlain Committee is a model for community science, water protection, conservation, and monitoring. Through the decades, the LCC has advocated for the health of the Lake Champlain basin while encouraging public use and appreciation of the natural world. Through establishing access areas, providing health and safety information, raising awareness of environmental issues, and advocating for protections, they are helping the public be better stewards of this amazing watershed.

Their cyanobacteria monitoring program not only provides a critical public service, it also increases awareness of pollution issues around the lake. Without programs such as this, the general public does not know the consequences of typical activities. LCC staff provide training and quality control that is well-researched and easy to understand. They support their volunteer monitors and are eager to answer questions, provide insight, and promote understanding.

LCC has always been a vocal advocate for the lake, recognizing that people need to use and enjoy the resource as well as take care of it. They work in scientific, legislative, and public arenas. They live their mission of science-based advocacy, education, and collaborative action. Their website is informative and easily accessible, operations are environmentally conscious (even encouraging low carbon-footprint commuting), and staff is top notch.

A few years ago, after seeing tiny fuzzy specks in Lake Champlain, I decided I needed to know more about what I was seeing. After a little research, I found out what those fuzzy balls were (cyanobacteria) and wanted to know what I can do to help our beautiful Lake Champlain. LCC was the non profit advocacy group that I wanted to work with to do what I can to help . So I happily became a volunteer cyanobacteria monitor. LCC Volunteers are the eyes of what is happening in hundreds of sites on the lake shores. We not only monitor the water, but are able to educate many folks along the way.
For over 50 years the LCC has tirelessly worked as an advocate for the health of Lake Champlain-- to keep it as a resource for all to enjoy.

Many thanks to the work of the staff and volunteers of the Lake Champlain Committee!

A little over 40 years ago, I became familiar with Lake Champlain Committee through my father, who was a member, and then through my own membership over those years.

In the 90s, I worked with New York State, local government, and several non-profits to get into the state's hands Split Rock Mountain, which had been in my family since the early 60s, is the tallest mountain on the shores of Lake Champlain, and included the longest stretch of privately owned pristine shoreline on the lake. I will always be appreciative that LCC was an important part of that non-profit group in helping to establish the Split Rock Mountain Wild Forest.

Just as I am most appreciative for their taking the lead decades ago in recognizing the extraordinary and irreplaceable value of America's sixth largest fresh water lake. More than any group, LCC recognizes how magnificent the lake is, yet how fragile its ecosystem can be.

Lake Champlain Committee's longtime unflagging efforts to protect the marvel that is Champlain is to be lauded.

Thank you, LCC!

My name is Christopher White and I reside in Shelburne, VT. My teenage daughter and I have been volunteer lake monitors for the LCC for several years. We have been well-trained and have enjoyed 100% support of LCC, and are glad to be able to support LCC's community-based stewardship and care not only of Lake Champlain, but of the greater Lake Champlain Basin, as well as of Vermont's inland lakes, rivers and ponds. We have learned so much from the LCC program, and are inspired to be part of a positive, hands-on community of LCC's citizen volunteers in Vermont, New York, and Quebec. Together, we (as part of LCC) are making a difference.

LCC is such a valuable part of the Lake Champlain community. Indeed, they are the Lake's Champion! LCC bring attention to both the beauty and issues that affect the Lake. They have created a diverse community that cares about the Lake and actively works to sustain and improve it. As a first year volunteer cyanobacteria monitor, we received fantastic support from LCC as we learned how to carry out this important work. It is really satisfying to feel like we are making a small contribution to maintaining this resource that is so important to us. THANK YOU LCC for all you do!

After retiring, I began working as a volunteer for the Lake Champlain Comittee in Northern Vermont. I look forward each week during the season, to sampling water quality at two public access sites on Northern Lake Champlain. My focus is water quality, temperature, surface with an eye out for the presence of harmful cyanobacteria blooms and other matter in the water that might affect water quality. I then record my data and include photos if needed on a Geotracker along with other volunteers from Vermont, New York and Quebec. The amount of data collected is truly amazing. Its a great public service to be able to warn people of any dangerous cyanobacteria blooms and also as a record of trends over time and so much more.
The yearly training is always extremely helpful and has been done virtually since covid. It is very extensive using lots of photos and visuals and multiple online resources. They encourage questions and get back to you right away during the season either by email or phone.
I live in between each of the sites that I monitor and enjoy living by the water with other
inhabitants like threatened spiny softshell turtles, herons, bald eagle and osprey to name a few. It's so important to keep our waters clean and healthy. I appreciate being able to be a citzen scientist, and to be able to be a small but direct part of the care of Lake Champlain through the opportunty provided by the dedicated staff and volunteers at the Lake Champlain Comittee.

With the dangers of cyanobacteria in Vermont's waters increasing with warming waters, LCC and its volunteers offer an important resource for the public to monitor the water quality for people and their pets as they recreate in nearby lakes.

I have volunteered as a water sample collector for several years and residents in my testing area very much appreciate the LCC program as it provides alerts when water quality is of a concern.

I am a cyanobacteria tracker in Vermont. I feel that the work of the Lake Champlain Committee is essential to the success of the tracker volunteer program. We are well trained and supported throughout the season. The work we are doing with the backing of the LCC is important to the success of the goal of better water quality for Lake Champlain and other lakes in Vermont, in addition to educating the public about water quality issues.

Over ten years ago I joined the Cyanobacteria Monitoring Program as a volunteer and I have watched the Lake Champlain Committee set the standard for excellent stewards of our beloved Lake Champlain and its expansive watershed that provides recreation for an untold number of people from across the US and drinking water for many residents of Vermont and upstate New York. Without this organization, our lake would not receive the attention it needs and deserves, and cleanup efforts would be lagging.

Although just a small part of what LCC does, the Cyanobacteria Monitoring Program has had a large impact on the perception and understanding of Cyanobacteria blooms, a life-altering situation occurring on waterways throughout Vermont and upper New York State. This program is one of the most in-depth monitoring programs in the country and grows every year, gathering important data used by numerous groups.

From politicians to neighborhood watch groups, so many organizations turn to LCC for guidance based on their knowledge and expertise to help them make decisions about everything from funding for cleanup to keeping local swimming areas safe. LCC plays a critical role gathering data, educating the public and developing awareness of the many issues facing the lake and provides a service no other organization can offer.

LCC is vocal about sensitive issues facing Lake Champlain and offers solutions based on sound science and data. I am proud to be a tiny part of this amazing group that plays an invaluable role protecting our waters for generations to come.

A few years ago, while attending a local environmental support event, I came across a booth for the Lake Champlain Committee. As a long time kayaker, I have been very aware of areas in some of Vermont’s lakes and streams where it has
been unsafe to swim or boat due to contamination from Cyanobacteria and it was a big concern of mine. In the past I have participated in efforts to pull milfoil from lakes and ponds around Vermont as well as cleaning up turtle nesting areas. Discovering the Lake Champlain Committee and it’s efforts to protect Vermont’s water resources felt like the right place for me to direct my volunteer efforts. I signed up to take part in protecting Lake Champlain and it’s tributaries and have been monitoring two sites in Northern Vermont ever since. It takes a large group of dedicated and determined volunteers to monitor the huge area covered by Vermonts lakes and ponds and, as you can see by viewing the LCC web site, hundreds of sites around Vermont are covered by volunteers checking weekly and reporting on water conditions to keep people and animals safe. I enjoy doing this work and feel that I, and all of the LCC volunteers, are making a valuable contribution to the state of Vermont and it’s magnificent waterways.

The Lake Champlain Committee (LCC ) was organized in 1963 by citizens of Vermont and New York State to prevent plans to build a sea going canal through Lake Champlain to connect the St. Lawrence River to the Hudson River, and ultimately New York City. This effort was successful, and was followed by an organized effort to resist plans to build a nuclear power plant on the Lake shore in Charlotte Vermont a few years later.

Over the ensuing 58 years The Lake Champlain Committee has continued to act as a public steward for the health, well being and sustainable use of Lake Champlain. The LCC has worked to protect drinkable water, swim-able beaches, edible fish and public access to the Lake through advocacy, education and collaborative action.

The LCC’s on going commitments to monitor the Lake for cyanobacteria, and to find and eradicate new populations of aggressive invasive plants are just a part of their agenda to continue to advocate for Lake Champlain’s environmental integrity and recreational resources.

As a life long sailor who has sailed on Lake Champlain for over 50 years and greatly appreciates the Lake’s natural beauty, I have and will continue to support the Lake Champlain Committee’s vigilance and advocacy for our Lake.

Thank you to The Lake Champlain Committee for all the good you do for Lake Champlain!

The work of the Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) is vitally important to our lives in the North Country. Their stewardship of the Lake and it's entire watershed contributes to the well-being of area residents, visitors, domestic animals, wildlife, fish & aquatic plants. They coordinate with the responsible agencies in New York, Vermont, and the province of Quebec, Canada; each has unique regulations and perspectives. In addition to the programs they run, the LCC also supports the work of smaller groups working for the betterment of our biosphere. There are programs to improve farm land management / water runoff that lead to increased productivity. LCC also works with cities, towns, and individuals to mitigate water run-off from storm drains, surface & sewage water, and septic systems. An education program and outreach seeks to raise awareness about environmental issues including treatment to control lamprey eels, boat inspections to prevent further spread of non-native invasive aquatic species, and operations to remediate those already present (Eurasian milfoil, Zebra mussels, Quahog mussels).
We have enjoyed the Lake Champlain area for over 40 years and early on became supporters, then a board member, recently as a member of the LCC Citizens Advisory Committee for New York. The LCC impact extends beyond our watershed as it is a member of the New England Watershed Management coalition, bringing awareness and best practices to multiple states in the Northeast.

This organization has, quite honestly, saved Lake Champlain ... more than once. Originally LCC prevented the damming of the outflow, which would have decimated the Natural ecology of the entire region, and turned the lake into a polluted barge canal.
Since then their efforts have never waned, always with the health of the lake and lakeside communities foremost in mind.
Entire books could be written about the LCC's tireless efforts ... I hope this testimonial gives some indication of the importance of this organization.
Sincerely, Jon Elliott, lakeside owner and lover of the lake

October 30, 2021
To Whom it may concern,
I am writing in support of the LAKE CHAMPLAIN COMMITTEE (LCC) as a consistent advocate for protecting the water quality of Lake Champlain. It is a strong presence in both Vermont and New York State and has been active for 50 years or more. Below I’ve detailed some of the ways this citizen based organization helps to protect and preserve this wonderful lake.
Every year, the LCC spends the warmer months of the year organizing volunteers to sample the waters up and down the 125 mile length of the lake for Cyanobacteria (Blue Green Bacteria). They sample every week, and send out a weekly report explaining their findings, detailing where it is safe to swim or not. I just received their Week #17 report via email yesterday.
In the late winter and spring, LCC’s director, Ms. Lori Fisher haunts the halls of the Vermont Legislature lobbying for clean water funding and other issues that affect the lake’s health. She is a tireless advocate and watchdog for the Lake. When the legislature is not in session, she is always looking for ways to educate and influence important events concerning the lake.
LCC produces a Guide Book to the Champlain Water Trail. Each volume provides super valuable information on camp sites and access points for human powered boaters who wish to travel and experience the ecosystems available on the lake. These campsites require volunteers to maintain repair and clean the sites spread the length of Lake Champlain. LCC is the organization that gathers and helps fund the volunteers maintaining these sites along both sides of the lake. The guide book is updated annually, which is not true of many other guides I’ve used in my life.
This organization also produced a wonderful book about Lake Champlain and the various biota, weather and limnological oddities that happen within its boundaries. If you get a chance and are curious about the Natural History of our lake, this book is wonderfully informative.
In short, this organization is a powerhouse that helps protect and promote safe usage of this incredible resource in our region. It is the only one doing these valuable services.
Sincerely,

John Little, Board President
Missisquoi River Basin Association

My family bought a property on Lake Champlain back in 2013 and as such all 3 generations of us are directly impacted by the health and well being of this northeastern gem. Up until the time that we bought the property I had no idea of what cyanobacteria is and how it can affect the health and environment of the water and the communities that enjoy all it’s gifts.

I joined the LCC as a monitor in 2014 and have been extremely impressed with the vast following of volunteers that help to watch over our Lake, the dedication of the staff that organize the monitoring, the science based education that they provide to us all and the interactions of the LCC with so many different state organizations from New York, Vermont and Canada. This volunteer organization is coordinated by LCC to populate the cyanobacteria tracker map that is readily available to the public. The map provides real time information on the safety of our lake for not only recreation but also drinking water. The number of volunteers attest to the LCC’s outstanding reputation and effectiveness.
The work of LCC does not stop with just the monitoring and reporting of conditions but reaches in to advocacy for the health of our water system, education and collaborative action. As a former scientist, I am proud to be part of this great organization and what they have achieved, their goals and the high standard that they set for other organizations.

I served with the Lake Champlain Committee as their ECO AmeriCorps member for the 2019-2020 term. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with LCC, as I assisted in projects, such as Cyanobacteria Monitoring, April Stool’s Day, and the Lake Champlain Paddlers’ Trail Guidebook. I worked with Lori and other members of LCC in a close-knit environment and have seen the impact that they have on the Lake Champlain Basin. After my service year, I continued working with LCC as their Seasonal Assistant where I helped train cyanobacteria monitoring volunteers and worked on the 2021 Paddlers’ Trail Guidebook. I’m grateful for LCC’s efforts to protect and improve water quality and provide access.

I have been a member of the Lake Champlain Committee for years because they really make a difference in protecting something that is very dear to me - Lake Champlain.  I was very involved with the creation of the Burlington Bike Path and Waterfront Park in the 1980s.  I wrote a book about my experiences working to transform the Burlington lakeshore from an ugly industrial wasteland into the Bike Path and park we all enjoy today.  So I am intimately aware of the importance of protecting Lake Champlain and public access to it.

That's why I have wholeheartedly supported the efforts of the LCC to protect this precious resource for the recreational uses we enjoy today.  I now own and operate Burlington Segways.  We perform Segway tours of the Burlington waterfront for tourists.  Tourists often admire the view across the lake to the Adirondacks in upstate New York.  We thank the LCC daily for preventing supertankers on Lake Champlain that would have marred that view.  Or a nuclear power plant in Charlotte.  From limiting phosphates to banning micro-beads, their efforts to clean up the lake and promote recreational uses instead are legendary.

That's why I have consistently contributed to the LCC over the years.  Their work to clean up the lake and protect it from hairbrained schemes like sinking the ferry is worth every penny.  Lori Fisher has been an outspoken advocate of a clean lake for her whole life now.  I have watched her step up to the plate on issue after issue over the years.  She brings real credibility and trust to the environmental movement in Vermont.  And real results.

I am looking forward to working with the LCC in the future.

Rick Sharp

As a volunteer water protector for many years, and for many organizations, I became interested the Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) after moving to Vermont about ten years ago. Initially I was interested in their informative publications regarding the health of Lake Champlain and their reporting of the research that was going on to document threats that we need to be aware of and actions that can be taken to mitigate them.

My wife and I became volunteers when we learned about the cyanobacteria monitoring program though which we were able to "adopt" a lake near our home and weekly monitor for any blooms that might occur. The training for the work was science driven and comprehensive so we would be able to accurately record out observations. Each week the organization issues a report, and if blooms are observed we are instructed to contact the Vermont Health Department so they can alert local authorities who can close beaches and waterfronts to swimmers and dog walkers. And this cover the entire Lake Champlain watershed.

LCC, particularly Lori Fisher, their Executive Director, is active in coalitions that inform our legislators and advocates about all the issues affecting the lake. When I attend meetings of various advocacy groups Lori is generally there speaking for climate resiliency, safe use of the waters by recreational, human powered watercraft, control of storm water runoff, monitoring of invasive species, and more. Her comments are always science-driven and focused on what we can do to address the problem being discussed.

This is an important and effective organization and I strongly recommend that Greatnonprofits support them and the work they are doing.

I have been following the work of the Lake Champlain Committee with interest, admiration, and gratitude for nearly 40 years. This brave little non-profit citizens' organization, with a small staff anchored by a rock-solid veteran executive director, has always "punched above its weight” LCC works throughout the watershed basin, including the New York side of the lake and southern Quebec. Across all those jurisdictions, they maintain citizen water quality monitoring, a paddlers' trail, and all sorts of public outreach. Very impressive! Everybody who swims, sails, paddles, or fishes in Lake Champlain -- and certainly everybody who gets their drinking water from it -- should support The Lake Champlain Committee!

I have enjoyed Lake Champlain over many years - sailing and swimming in it for multiple summers. I moved away from VT for several years and returned in 2018 upon retirement. Now I am lucky enough to live on Shelburne Bay which gives me direct access to the Lake for swimming and kayaking. I have always been a member of the Lake Champlain Committee and have supported preserving the Lake. When I returned here, I was more than happy to be trained to be an active volunteer monitoring the Lake for cyanobacteria. It has been eye-opening to see the effect run-off, heat and lack of rain has on the health of the lake. Through my volunteer work monitoring the Lake off the shores of my condo property, I have been able to educate the condo owners in our association and have established a warning system for limiting swimming and recreation during unhealthy bloom periods. LCC should be commended for their excellent educational sessions and their weekly reports keeping the public warned and safe! DLW

I have been a volunteer with the Lake Champlain Committee for several years. I came to know Lori Fisher and her work as the director of LCC through their development of the Lake Champlain Paddler’s Trail. This amazing water trail winds around Lake Champlain with overnight stops on private lakeshore property. The LCC initiated agreements with landowners to create overnight sites for paddlers as they explored beautiful Lake Champlain. My husband and I offered our shoreline property to be added to the Paddler’s Trail. As shoreline owners, we became very aware of water quality issues resulting from years of neglect from agriculture, logging and land development. Each year we saw Cyanobacteria outbreaks increase along the shores of the Champlain islands where we live. The Lake Champlain Committee headed by Lori Fisher and her small staff, have been leaders in educating the public about protecting and restoring our waters as well as safeguarding natural habitats to ensure that Vermonters and visitors to Vermont would continue to have clean water for recreation and consumption. When Lori asked for volunteer water monitors, I jumped at the chance. Through yearly training sessions and weekly water monitoring, I, as well as several hundred other volunteer water monitors, have increased the general public’s awareness in regards to Cyanobacteria. This all volunteer water monitoring program is a wonderful example of the power of “Citizen Scientists”. The LCC staff and Director Lori Fisher have been instrumental in developing, in conjunction with the Vermont Health Department, a state wide tracking system. This tracking system, with an interactive map, assists water quality scientists as well as lay people to monitor and learn from the accumulated data. The enthusiasm and expertise of Lori and her staff is a shining example of how a small group can affect a major change.

The Lake Champlain Committee has been actively working to make Lake Champlain a better place for years. Not only do they support research and cleanup activities for the Lake, they also support recreational activities on the Lake, including their guide to the Lake Champlain Paddlers Trail, which they were instrumental in setting up and coordinating in the beginning.
I worked directly with Lori Fisher when I was involved with the Regatta for Lake Champlain fundraising regatta for many years, and her commitment, hard work and enthusiasm helped greatly . They truly are a great nonprofit, helping to support a great Lake.

I have been enjoying the lake since I was a kid, fishing with my Dad in the 1960s, and have been horrified to watch the lake deteriorate over time. The cyanobacteria blooms are getting worse and our water supply for a large portion of the state is at risk. LCC’s cyanobacteria monitoring program is essential to help keep the public informed about the health hazard that we face.

This is my second year as a cyanobacteria monitor at multiple sites. Their training was excellent, they have always been available for questions, and they have always made me feel like my efforts are appreciated. It is a pleasure to work with them.

The Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) plays a critical role in safeguarding and monitoring the water quality of Lake Champlain. Using citizen science and an extensive volunteer network, its cyanobacteria monitoring program provides the public and decisionmakers with comparatively real time data about the water quality across the lake, which helps protect the public and provides ongoing data and information about what is happening with this important resource.

Although this monitoring program is one of its primary programs, this small non-profit, is built to facilitate a holistic view of the lake and has board representation from Vermont, New York, and Quebec. LCC has a long and established history of working to protect the lake against all sorts of threats, and is well positioned to do so going forward.

My experience with the Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) is from participating in their cyanobacteria monitoring program. In this effort, LCC is making effective use of volunteer citizen science opportunities to help preserve and improve the Lake Champlain ecosystem.

I found LCC online, through their web site. The site was very useful learning about the organization, their mission and the work that they do, as well as effectively communicating both their science-based decision-making philosophy and their mission of environmental advocacy for the Lake Champlain ecosystem.

The monitoring program I worked on this year is intended to raise awareness of the cyanobacteria issue in Lake Champlain, to build a database of information on the bloom frequency, and be sure that any potential health hazards are recognized and avoided by all people. LCC staff works with the Vermont Department of Health, and citizen volunteers, to meet the program goals. This program was well designed and implemented; I had a very positive experience this year as a volunteer.

My husband and I live half the year on Maquam Shore on the northern reaches of Lake Champlain. We have watched with growing concern over the last 20 years as the quality of this wonderful resource has been diminished and marginalized. Several years ago we discovered Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) and have become regular donors and volunteers. The work LCC does is both critical for the long-term health of the lake and the long-term health of the Vermont economy. We are impressed with the LCC's leadership, efficiency and dedication. Lori Fisher runs a small efficient organization effectively leveraging donations. We know that every dollar we donate will be well spent and that every hour we volunteer is working toward measurable outcomes.

LCC manages to work effectively with government organizations, individuals, and other nonprofits for the betterment of Lake Champlain. We wholeheartedly endorse the work they do and encourage others to support them with their dollars and time!

I am the pastor of Ascension Lutheran church in S. Burlington, VT. We have worked with the LCC for several years. We have created, with the LCC's help, a Sacred Waters kayaking trip open to the community in early September. The participants have very much appreciated the opportunity to be out on the lake and to learn about the lake through the excellent materials that the LCC provides. Further, as I worked .on my Doctorate degree focused on watershed stewardship, the LCC monthly meetings, with a focus on legislation and advocacy, were very stimulating and informative for me and congregation members. Finally, I very much appreciate the LCC's water monitoring during the summer focused on public beaches, including Oakledge beach where I swim in Burlington. As I talk to folks in the community about the lake and about the need to protect it, I often receive the impression that for some people the lake remains un-swimmable due to pollution. The LCC is so important because it both works to clean up the lake through legislation, water testing, and advocacy and promotes the importance of the lake to the wider community so that folks may enjoy it, which leads to continued stewardship of it.

My husband and I are summer residents on Lake Champlain in NY. We bought our home in 1995 and our children spent many blissful days enjoying the beautiful lake. They now bring their children to do the same.

We have watched the relentless changes caused on the lake by climate change and the increase in phosphates and nitrogen in the waters. We became supporters of the Lake Champlain Committee and appreciate both their advocacy for the lake (and other regional waters) and the educational offerings available on their website.

It was the educational aspect of the LCC work that led us to become volunteer water monitors. Our beautiful clear lake water turned green one afternoon and the LCC website helped us to learn the cause (a cyanobacteria bloom).
We sent an email to the LCC to report what we thought had happened. They quickly confirmed our guess and later asked if we would consider becoming volunteers.

Our training was thorough and professional and the support they have provided us is wonderful. We are happy to be team members of this excellent Non-profit and a part of the effort to monitor and protect our waters.

cwoessner- I’m an 8-year board member, but my awareness of and later association with the Lake Champlain Committee extends 40+ years back, to when I arrived in the Lake Champlain Islands. From the outset I was impressed by the effectiveness of the science-based approach as they’ve advocated for a healthy and accessible lake. Early on I assumed them to be a much larger organization than they actually are - they are that effective at getting good things done to benefit the lake we love.
My association with LCC began in the mid 1990s as they were in the early stages of researching and then implementing the Lake Champlain Paddlers Trail, a whole-lake network of access, camping, and stop-over sites utilizing public and private lands and facilities in Vermont, New York, and into Quebec. Then, I was a regional manager with Vermont State Parks, and saw the creation of the trail in partnership with LCC absolutely as a win-win opportunity for our lake-based parks.
As that partnership was established and the paddlers trail improved, those parks benefited from, among other things, the construction and placement of nearly two dozen composting sanitary facilities on remote island and lakeside camping sites, where none had existed previously. Money from a private grant secured by LCC went a long ways toward the removal of several dilapidated structures and abandoned vehicles on an island which came into Vermont State ownership during trail development.
It was the overwhelmingly favorable opinion I had of LCC and its effectiveness that led me to join the organization as a donor, board member, site steward, and eight-season Cyanobacteria monitor when I retired from full-time state service. They are an organization to which I am both happy and proud to donate my time and money in support of.

The Lake Champlain Committee benefits both Vermont and New York State. I’ve been a volunteer working on the cyanobacteria monitoring project for years. The outreach that LCC does is very comprehensive and inclusive. I am also involved with environmental organizations in the Plattsburgh area that have worked with and benefitted from our collaboration with LCC to raise awareness of the various threats to our environment and most importantly, Lake Champlain, our greatest natural resource. Kudos to the staff and volunteers of the organization to provide a much needed service to educate and protect our environment.

The Lake Champlain Committee is the primary monitor of the condition of the lake. My wife and I have volunteers for the past 4 years. We monitor 7 sites and have found the primary committee members to be 100% supportive and responsive. We are proud to assist this organization.

THE LAKE CHAMPLAIN COMMITTEE IS A WONDERFULL ORGANIZATION WHO HELPS TO TAKE CARE OF BEAUTIFUL LAKE CHAMPLAIN. THEY HAVE BOTH A PAID STAFF AND MANY VOLUNTEERS WHO MONITOR THE WATER CONDITIONS OF THE LAKE. MANY PEOPLE USE THE LAKE FOR DRINKING WATER, AND FOR RECREATION. THE HEALTH OF THE WATER QUALITY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR NEW YORK, VERMONT, AND AS IT FLOWS NORTH INTO CANADA, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THEM ALSO. IF THE LAKE HAS AN ALGE BLOOM IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT TO WARN THE PEOPLE USING THE LAKE OF THE BLOOM. THE BLOOM CAN CAUSE ILLNESS AND EVEN DEATH TO BOTH PEOPLE AND PETS. THE LAKE CHAMPLAIN COMMITTEE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. I AM PROUD TO HAVE BEEN A VOLUNTEER FOR THIS COMMITTEE FOR MANY YEARS.

The Lake Champlain Committee is one of the most highly regarded regional environmental nonprofits in the country. It aims to protect--and promote access to--an outstanding jewel of the northeast region, a magnificent lake like no other. The organization has a long history of effective science-based environmental advocacy. Were it not for LCC, Lake Champlain would have become an international shipping route for oil tankers. Its effectiveness far exceeds its size and budget.

I have been a member, a volunteer, a donor, and a board member, having joined the organization over three decades ago. I have watch the organization do its work for a long time. I know the staff and its history well.

As a donor, I think carefully about which organizations make the best investments. I consider LCC an especially good charitable investment because of how far an extra dollar will go to strengthening its activities. If you care about Lake Champlain, water quality, the health and natural beauty of the basin, there is no better organization to support.

I am an avid kayaker as well as someone who depends on water from the lake for drinking, as do so many thousands of others who live near the shores of the lake. My two favorite programs are the Cyanobacteria Monitoring Program and the Paddlers Trail. These programs promote the health and beauty of the lake. The Monitoring Program is a national model for a successful volunteer-based non-governmental environmental program. Scientists and ordinary residents alike use the collected data to inform research, understand the evolving condition of the lake, and make decisions about where to swim and boat.

The Paddler's Trail is a path along the lake that people can follow, with managed over-night camping sites. Small boaters use it to enjoy this natural wonder.

If you haven't looked at the lake recently, go feast your eyes, have fun, play in the water. Then support this wonderful organization in whatever way you can. It's a great way of expressing your gratitude for all the lake, the basin, and this spectacular resource does for us.

The Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) is a small non-profit organization that has a big impact. As a former staff person, I can attest to the absolute dedication LCC’s staff and volunteers have to protecting Lake Champlain’s environmental integrity and ensuring recreational access. It is because of their ongoing hard work and dedication that our beautiful Lake has a voice. Through science-based advocacy, education and collaborative action, LCC ensures our ability to enjoy this beautiful Lake and all it has to offer for generations to come.

I have lived and worked in the Champlain Valley of New York State for more than 40 years. And in this time, I have become familiar with the work of the Lake Champlain Committee. In 2010 I joined the Board of Directors, participated as a citizen scientist in monitoring harmful algal blooms, and served as an ambassador and advocate for Lake Champlain as a key landscape feature of New York’s Adirondack Park.
The Lake Champlain Committee represents an important and unique voice for all things Lake Champlain. Naturally, the Lake cannot speak for itself. LCC’s essential and critical role continues to be acting as the Lake’s human representative—giving voice to its issues and concerns in public policy arenas in the US and Canada—In Quebec, Washington, Albany, and Montpelier. Without this voice, maintaining a fishable, swimmable, and drinkable Lake would be impossible, improbable, and unsustainable. Three cheers for LCC

The dedicated staff and volunteers who work for and with the Lake Champlain Committee have for decades made the health of the lake and its watershed their top priority. Their advocacy and educational programs have been key in getting people and policy makers to recognize threats to the lake, and their Cyanobacteria monitoring program is a model for “citizen science” programs, keeping people in two states and two countries informed about water quality issues.

The group also promotes use of the lake through its annual paddlers’ guide for kayakers and its support of the Lake Champlain paddlers’ trail.

It’s one of those indispensable organizations that deserves our support, to spread the message about what we can all do to protect the lake and those who use it for recreation or as a source of drinking water.

I have been a part of LCC Cyanobacteria monitor training program. They are solid in their training and reporting to help keep our community safe and informed.

I live weekends on Missisquoi Bay which like other sectors of the lake is plagued by algae blooms. The LCC’s algae monitoring volunteers are the sole source of reliable data for monitoring water quality the entire length of the lake. Without them, any opinions about water conditions are anecdotal and haphazard.

It is essential that we have such an outfit committed to the improving water quality through programs of political action coupled with community education and mobilization. Otherwise, there is no hope for our lake.

Who but the LCC would have thought of organizing and maintaining all the campsites for public use the entire length of the Paddlers Trail.

Each board member is extraordinarily capable in their own professional field and profoundly devoted to the cause. As one of them, it is no bother at all for me to give up a business day to drive from Montreal for meetings.

Best of all, we have an executive director who is so energetic, cheerful, effective and well-connected.

The LCC has been the preeminent Lake Champlain protection, advocacy, and access group for over 5 decades. Currently, LCC engages a large group of volunteers to monitor lake quality, maintain the paddler’s trail, perform invasive species removal, and survey for new invasive threats. lCC’s advocacy includes a highly effective presence in the Vermont Statehouse, and has been instrumental in numerous pieces of lake protection legislation.
Lake Champlain is an amazing resource and warrants the type of attention that LCC provides. I volunteer and donate to the LCC because it is one of the most effective ways I can make a difference. Join me.

The Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) is a nonprofit that anyone who supports clean water, responsible environmental stewardship, and legislative activism can contribute to, knowing that their contributions will be effectively spent.

One example of LCC's effectiveness is its Lake Champlain water testing program, a comprehensive volunteer-supported effort aimed at weekly testing for cyanbacteria, or blue-green bacteria, in the Lake Champlain watershed. This is a science-driven program that focuses public attention on a dramatically growing national problem that is affecting bodies of water throughout the US and around the world. Raising public awareness of this serious health and environmental issue is critical, and that is what LCC effectively does so well.

LCC also has become increasingly and effectively involved in public policy efforts to hold elected officials accountable, working for compromise when possible, but refusing to settle for half-measures when environmental realities demand a more forceful policy response.

LCC is an environmental leader in fighting for clean water, and has assembled and deployed an effective array of tools in order to accomplish its goals.

I have been a volunteer lake water monitor for the past several summers. Lori and her team have trained us on how to identify cyanobacteria in the lake water. The training was fascinating, thoughtful and professionally done. Because I have a summer camp on Lake Champlain, it is easy for me to check the lake water and even easier to send a weekly report to the Lake Champlain Committee each week. Lake Champlain is a treasured resource and the Committee is helping us all to realize that we have an obligation to maintain its health. I applaud their work.

The Lake Champlain Committee is an invaluable advocate for the health of Lake Champlain. The role this nonprofit plays in education, outreach and advocacy is unequaled and so important. Lake Champlain had a brief moment in time designated as a “Great Lake”, and is truly one of our nation’s treasures.

This small organization has been untiring in making awareness of the importance of protection for and preservation of water quality so that Lake Champlain will remain a healthy place for all who want to fish, swim, boat, bird and enjoy in, on and around its waters.



There is another service beyond advocacy and scientific studies that the Lake Champlain Committee has been instrumental in, which is the lake monitoring and reporting program for Cyanobacteria. The records and data this program has produced will be invaluable as we move forward with lake protection plans.

We have supported the Lake Champlain Committee for years, but have become involved for the last number of years as volunteers who monitor for Cyanobacteria weekly on a small inland lake in the watershed of Lake Champlain. The LCC staff has come to our small lake to conduct Cyanobacteria monitoring training sessions and has encouraged and supported us as we do our small part to report our lake’s status. The LCCs collaboration with the VT Dept of Health to create an online reporting program has made it possible for anyone wishing to recreate on monitored lakes to check current status.

This is a small but very important nonprofit organization that is doing amazing work!

Several years ago my wife and I saw a greenish film by our dock on Lake Champlain. Not sure what to do we searched on the internet and found the Lake Champlain Committee. We watched their very informative video and felt we had a Cyanobacteria bloom. To be sure we emailed a photograph to the LCC and received an immediate response that it was a type of Cyanobacteria bloom. We were so impressed with LCC that we joined and became monitors. As monitors we do weekly reports to the LCC. In reponese they keep us informed of blooms on Lake Champlain.

I have lived and worked in the Champlain Valley of New York State for more than 40 years. And in this time, I have become familiar with the work of the Lake Champlain Committee. In 2010 I joined the Board of Directors, participated as a citizen scientist in monitoring harmful algal blooms, and served as an ambassador and advocate for Lake Champlain as a key landscape feature of New York’s Adirondack Park.
The Lake Champlain Committee represents an important and unique voice for all things Lake Champlain. Naturally, the Lake cannot speak for itself. LCC’s essential and critical role continues to be acting as the Lake’s human representative—giving voice to its issues and concerns in public policy arenas in the US and Canada—In Quebec, Washington, Albany, and Montpelier. Without this voice, maintaining a fishable, swimmable, and drinkable Lake would be impossible, improbable, and unsustainable.

Through Lake Champlain Committee's citizen science program of cyanobacteria monitoring in Lake Champlain, my family and I have learned so much about cyanobacteria in our lake. We have been able to help our community by checking different sites for this organism and reporting it's presence. We also rely on the information that others report as we plan our lake recreation in areas further from home. Lake Champlain Committee's cyanobacteria monitoring program is a huge benefit to all those who use Lake Champlain.

I was kayaking with my son one sunny warm Saturday last summer at Shelburne Pond. When we came to the pull out place, my son said, "Oh, oh. Watch out!" I looked down and saw that the water surface looked like green tempura paint. I had seen this in photos from my monitoring work for the Lake Champlain Committee. But, in my weekly observation of nearby Lake Iroquois, the water had always been clear. My son knew the danger of cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, and helped me get out of my kayak without touching my feet in the water. I rushed home to check the Lake Champlain Committee site to see what I should do. From the directions, I called the health office for the area to report the cyanobacteria bloom so he could post the area, and I also called Lori Fisher, the head of the Lake Champlain Committee, to make sure I had done everything correctly. Lori returned my call within an hour, confirmed that I had followed the proper procedure, and asked if I would be a regular monitor at Shelburne Pond as well as Lake Iroquois, as no one was monitoring it now. I was glad to have the opportunity to go to this beautiful spot every week, and to warn others of the danger that often is present on the green pond surface.
I am grateful to be able to be a member as well as a volunteer of LCC. They are a very active environmental group, with strong programs for education, advocacy, and water quality monitoring to support, protect and nourish our beautiful Lake Champlain.

The Lake Champlain Committee is an amazing organization that works with many volunteers to help educate the public about the importance of this wonderful economic and recreational resource for both Vermonters and New Yorkers. The LCC also acts as an advocate organization by promoting activities that help to protect the lake’s overall health and well being. I became active with LCC as a volunteer because I have spent many pleasurable hours paddling, camping and biking on and around this beautiful lake. However it has also become apparent that the lake is in great need of some TLC. Algae blooms have become more and more common as well as threats of invasive species such aszebra mussels, water chestnuts and other invasives. Recently I took part in a volunteer effort working collaboratively with several organizations to look for Asian clams, an invasive species that has entered other bodies of water that feed into Lake Champlain. Fortunately we did not find any but will keep monitoring the lake on a yearly basis. I also have volunteered as a site steward, filing reports on campsites that are part of the Lake Champlain Paddlers Trail. The LCC is a multifaceted organization that educates and depends on volunteers taking an active role in acting as protectors of Lake Champlain. LCC works collaboratively with many other Vermont organizations as evidenced by their participation in Vermont Clean Water Initiative. I have also had the experience of participating in this event where community members spent a day at the Vermont State House lobbying for passing clean water legislation. As you can see from my own experiences that this organization is working deliberatively and effectively to engage its citizens in becoming advocates for Lake Champlain. There are so many ways to get involved with this organization and I believe they are getting results from all their efforts!

I have witnessed Lake Champlain Committee advocate for & protect this littlest Great Lake 25+ years, with ever more skill & impact. In recent years, I’ve become one of their cyanobacteria monitors, attending their phenomenal annual training & reporting on lake conditions regularly. Due to their training, I was able this summer to spot a fresh cyanobacteria bloom at a distance (see photo) & report it promptly to our town health officer so that a nearby public beach could be checked for safety. This is but one example of the impact this organization is having on a local level, replicated over a large, ecologically important region.

The Lake Champlain is not only the oldest watch dog for Lake Champlain, but the very best. They take lead roles in advocating for a CLEAN lake politically, and they also Walk the talk. Ie members get out and get their hands dirty, testing the water for blue green algae and posting their findings online, so everyone who might go swimming somewhere, or take their dog for a walk along the beach, will know if it is safe to go there. I have used this information a lot, and so have my friends.
I get email updates, too and invitations to go to the state to testify. Lori Fisher and LC are brilliant in their discussions and information given to our politicians.
The entire lake is being investigated, analyzed to come up with the best ways to protect it.
And they hold wonderful parties for everyone to come, once a year, to some grand place on the lake, for walks, lectures, and wonderful local foods.

I monitor and take water samples for Cynobacteria blooms at least once a week from mid June to the last week in October at Red Rocks beach in South Burlington, Vermont. I post my observed results on the VT Dept of Health web-site and bring the samples to the LCC offices for transfer to the VDOH
Within a specific time frame.
LCC provides the education, the tools and the administration in a very efficient and effective manner with minimal resources of their own.
I have been doing this work for about 5 years now.
I get great satisfaction from doing 'this important work which helps the entire Vermont community.
Al Carpenter
LCC Volunteer Cynobacteria Monitor