UVM and Cornell University faculty jointly participate in the Great Lakes Fishery Commission Lamprey Project to track the movement and number of lampreys and measure the impact of these populations on lake trout and salmon. The data will be used to improve lamprey control measures, the success of which will have a significant effect on the recreational fishing of trout and salmon in the lake.

Our Champlain Canal Barrier Feasibility Project was funded in January 2002 to collect information about nonindigenous aquatic nuisance species in Lake Champlain and to document the impact the introduction of these species has on the ecosystem and economy. As part of this project, we will identify and evaluate options for canal barriers that will minimize the number and frequency of exotic species that enter the lake through New York's Champlain Canal.

Understanding public opinion and contributions to urban non-point source pollution is critical to designing effective outreach programs and approaches. To identify likely domestic pollution sources and determine how much homeowners know about these sources, we are conducting surveys in several coastal communities. In Colchester, Vermont, we worked closely with the citizen-led Water Quality Committee to survey residents with seasonal summer camps. We will conduct a second survey in Burlington, Vermont, to focus public awareness on the restoration of the Englesby Brook watershed.

In addition, we have developed a survey in cooperation with the Poultney-Mettowee Watershed Partnership to gauge public attitude about water quality and non-point pollution sources in the southernmost part of Lake Champlain. This effort was partially funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and an Environmental Protection Agency 5-Star grant. A second survey in collaboration with the PM Watershed Partnership will ask farmers about their agricultural practices to determine impacts on local water quality.