Lake Champlain Basin Program

A new infestation of invasive water chestnut was discovered in Dead Creek near Plattsburgh, New York, in early summer 2024. Until that point, water chestnut had never before been found on the New York shore of Lake Champlain, and the new discovery prompted an urgent response from both the LCBP and NYSDEC. Meg Modley serves as the LCBP's Aquatic Invasive Species Management Coordinator and was one of the first on the scene at Dead Creek. Hear from Meg and Erin Vennie-Vollrath, New York Lake Champlain Coordinator for the NYSDEC/LCBP, in this recent feature by Mountain Lake PBS! To learn more about the Dead Creek infestation and other efforts to manage water chestnut throughout the Basin, head to the 2024 State of the Lake Report (sol.lcbp.org). https://lnkd.in/ez3hvBYT

The LCBP is happy to share a new #funding opportunity for studies that assess the economic value of Lake Champlain at both the community and watershed scales. The LCBP anticipates awarding approximately $400,000 through two grant opportunities. Dr. Eric Howe, NEIWPCC Program Director of the Lake Champlain Basin Program, said, “Economic valuation studies can describe the benefits of clean water and healthy ecosystems as dollar values, allowing resource managers and decision makers to better understand and act on the economic rationale for protecting our waterways and ecosystems. We anticipate that these studies will be of immense value to our shared efforts to protect and restore the Lake Champlain Basin.” Learn more at lcbp.org/grants

We're pleased to share this funding opportunity from Hudson River Foundation, focused on fish abundance research on Lake Champlain.

The LCBP seeks proposals for outreach projects that inform and involve the public in Lake Champlain stewardship. The LCBP, in partnership with NEIWPCC, anticipates awarding over $1 million to local organizations, municipalities, and educational institutions through three grant categories: Small Education and Outreach Implementation grants (up to $15,000 per award) Large Education and Outreach Implementation grants ($15,000-$50,000 per award) Stream Wise Participation grants (up to $15,000 per award) Learn more at lcbp.org/grants.

The Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership (CVNHP) convened in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec, in September for its 15th annual International Summit. The summit is a key part of the CVNHP budget process, which includes input from organizations throughout the 9,000-square-mile heritage area. The summit featured tours of McGill University’s Gault Nature Preserve and the Musée du Fort Saint-Jean, as well as presentations on the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Network and initiatives to mark the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. A new traveling exhibit about the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Region, which will be made available to partner organizations for display, was also unveiled at the summit.

The LCBP, in partnership with NEIWPCC, is pleased to announce a request for pre-proposals for research projects that will improve understanding of water and ecosystem resources in the Lake Champlain Basin and guide effective management. The total request for each project may range from $25,000 to $400,000. Pre-proposals are due on November 8, 2024. A subset of applicants will be asked to submit a more detailed proposal for further consideration and final award decisions in spring 2025. Projects will begin in early 2026. All awards are subject to available funding. Learn more at lcbp.org/grants

The Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) seeks pre-proposals for projects and programs to protect, restore, interpret, and showcase the historical resources and cultural heritage of the Champlain Valley and the Lake Champlain Basin. The projects supported through this process will advance the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership’s (CVNHP) Making of Nations interpretive theme in 2026, emphasizing the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. For more information on the pre-proposal process, please visit https://lnkd.in/gvUAMd6P

Kristen Balschunat has joined the LCBP as the Resource Room Coordinator! She holds a B.A. in Geography and Environmental Studies from SUNY Geneseo. After college she worked for a variety of nature centers, summer camps and school programs across the country providing place-based outdoor education. Most recently she has focused on implementing clean water projects in Vermont as a Conservation Specialist at the Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District and Water Quality Projects Manager Vermont Youth Conservation Corps. Kristen is excited about inspiring people to make big and small changes to help improve the health of Lake Champlain. In her free time she enjoys birding, canoeing, painting and going on walks with her dog.

The Lake Champlain Basin Program seeks proposals for funds to support the costs for engineering services required for the design of a planned Best Management Practice (BMP) that will reduce phosphorus losses on farms within New York’s portion of the Lake Champlain Basin. The Program anticipates offering up to two awards for this Request for Proposals (RFP). Up to $50,000 is available to support eligible projects. More information, including deadlines, grant guidelines, and applications, are available on the Lake Champlain Basin Program’s website at lcbp.org/grants.

We are thrilled to welcome several new staff this summer! First up is Elizabeth Whitmore-Stolar, new member of the NYSDEC-LCBP-NEIWPCC Team. Beth has joined as the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Outreach Specialist for NYSDEC Region 5 and the Lake Champlain Canal System. She has a M.S. in Natural Resources-Limnology from Cornell University where she worked for nine years with the EPA on Great Lakes zooplankton monitoring and AIS detection. She also holds a B.A. in Zoology from State University of New York at Oswego. Beth has worked on new methods of AIS detection including DNA barcoding and new benthic sampling methods. She is currently working with stakeholders along the Champlain Canal corridor to spread the word about detection and preventing the spread of AIS. She is also facilitating discussion amongst the various stakeholders about any research and prevention efforts they may be conducting. She grew up in the Finger Lakes region on Canandaigua Lake where she developed her love of the water. She looks forward to when her child is old enough to play the ecology and aquatic ecosystem themed board games in she and her spouse’s massive board game collection. NEIWPCC