Lake Champlain Sea Grant

VT Public Boat Trip on Lake Champlain Aboard the R/V Marcelle Melosira
2026-07-10 14:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Date/Time: Friday, July 10, 2:00-4:00 pm

Location: 3 College St, Burlington, VT (on the south side of the Rubenstein Ecosystem Sciences/ECHO building). Parking there requires hourly payment separate from public boat trip fees.
Cost: $45/person
Age minimum to participate: 8 years old

Join Lake Champlain Sea Grant and UVM Extension staff aboard the state-of-the-art research vessel, the Marcelle Melosira to learn about Lake Champlain in a two-hour tour. “Lake Champlain Live” will provide participants with an opportunity to learn about and try their hands as limnologists (i.e., those who study inland waters). Following an interactive introduction to the geology and formation of the Lake Champlain basin and the lake, participants will learn about biological, chemical, and physical measurements limnologists make to improve our understanding of the lake, its watershed, and our impacts on them. Participants will engage in activities such as towing for and identifying plankton and monitoring water clarity.
Click here to register

Stream Studies and Ecological Response Following the February 2023 Train Derailment in East Palestine
2026-07-15 12:00 - 13:00
This presentation will focus on the 2023 train derailment in East Palestine. Response activities will be discussed along with other restoration and remediation efforts. Aquatic ecological impacts and recovery will complete the discussion.
Click here to register.
Presenter: William Zawiski, environmental supervisor, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Division of Surface Water

Road Salt-focused Education Trip on Lake Champlain for Municipal Staff and Local Leaders
2026-07-15 15:00 - 17:00
Date/Time: Wednesday, July 15, from 3–5 PM.
Location: 3 College St, Burlington, VT (on the south side of the Rubenstein Ecosystem Sciences/ECHO building). Please note that parking there requires an hourly payment.
Cost: $30 for municipal leaders; free for road foremen
Lake Champlain Sea Grant is hosting a unique trip aboard the R/V Marcelle Melosira for municipal staff and board members. The trip is designed to bring together municipal road foremen and crews with selectboard and conservation commission members and other community leaders for an exchange of knowledge related to sustainable winter road salting practices. We will also talk about water quality and how road salt can impact life in streams and lakes.
Each participant is encouraged to bring along a sample of water from a local stream, pond, or lake near where they live. During the excursion on Lake Champlain, each person will test their water sample to assess its electrical conductivity. This can be used to estimate how much chloride is in the water, much of which comes from road salt spread in the winter months. Participants will also sample from Lake Champlain and measure its electrical conductivity, and will have the option to collect zooplankton (tiny organisms that live suspended in the water).
Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. All participants must be in close-toed shoes to board the boat.
Click here to register
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If you require an accommodation related to a disability, please contact Accessibility Services at least 2 weeks prior to your selected date by emailing access@uvm.edu and copying seagrant@uvm.edu, or calling (802) 656-7753.
Cancellations must be made more than 1 week before the trip so we can allow someone from the waitlist to participate. Email cancellations to seagrant@uvm.edu.
If the boat is not able to sail due to weather conditions and the event is canceled, you will be notified via email. The Staff and boat Captain will do their best to make a decision within 12 hours of the trip.

NY Public Boat Trips on Lake Champlain Aboard the R/V Marcelle Melosira
2026-07-16 11:45 - 13:45 | Plattsburgh City Marina, 2 Dock Street, Plattsburgh, NY
Date/Time: Two trip options are available: 11:45 AM-1:45 PM and 2:00 PM-4:00 PM.
Location: Plattsburgh City Marina, 2 Dock Street, Plattsburgh. On-site parking available.
Cost: $30/person
Minimum age to participate: 8 years old
Accessibility: Please be aware that access to the boat will require climbing a ladder up and down.

Join Lake Champlain Sea Grant and UVM Extension staff aboard the state-of-the-art research vessel, the Marcelle Melosira to learn about Lake Champlain in a two-hour tour.
“Lake Champlain Live” will provide participants with an opportunity to learn about and try their hands as limnologists (i.e., those who study freshwater ecosystems like lakes, rivers and streams). Following an interactive introduction to the geology and formation of the Lake Champlain basin and the lake, participants will learn about biological, chemical and physical measurements limnologists make to improve our understanding of the lake, its watershed, and our impacts on them. Participants will engage in activities such as towing for and identifying plankton and monitoring water clarity.

Online advance registration is required.
Click here to register
For questions, please contact Aude Lochet at aloch001@plattsburgh.edu

Williston Stormwater Infrastructure Site Visit Day: New Implementation, Lessons Learned, and Innovative Solutions
2026-07-23 08:30 - 12:00 | Williston Town Offices, 7900 Williston Rd, Williston, VT
The Lake Champlain Sea Grant Green Infrastructure Collaborative is partnering with the Town of Williston to host a stormwater infrastructure site visit day. We will meet with stormwater managers and designers for this event to view several stormwater management practices and discuss maintenance considerations and lessons learned. The projects include:
-Gravel wetland completed in Fall 2025
-In progress gravel wetland installation (planned)
-Stormwater ponds in residential neighborhoods
-Infiltration basins
Participation is open to any interested stormwater practitioners, such as designers, maintenance professionals, engineers, agency staff, contractors, project managers, municipal staff, and students. Registration will be first come, first serve and space is limited to 25 people. We will meet at the Williston Town Offices and then drive between sites to visit and discuss each project.
Click here to register
Questions? Contact Jill Sarazen: jillian.sarazen@uvm.edu
Sign up by Friday, July 17.
July 29 is our designated rain date.

Plastic Paradox
2026-08-19 12:00 - 13:00
Plastic provides a real paradox in the world of material science. It is incredibly strong, but without the mass that similar strength materials usually possess. In addition, it is very moldable and can be contorted into a myriad of commonplace, super-utilitarian items. The versatility and durability of plastic allow it to be used in place of a myriad of natural materials, but these same features make it an environmental bane. This webinar will explore this paradox and what it means for waters.
Click here to register.
Presenter: Sherri (Sam) Mason, director, Gannon University Project NePTWNE

Lake Champlain Environmental Sensitivity Index Mapping
2026-09-16 12:00 - 13:00
Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) maps provide a concise summary of coastal resources that face potential risk in the event of an oil or chemical spill nearby. Incident response managers use these maps from a wide range of federal and state agencies to identify vulnerable coastal locations and guide decision-making about where and how to prioritize emergency response and restoration activities. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has established guidance and developed a portal for publishing nationally consistent ESI maps. The Lake Champlain Basin Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. Geological Survey recognize the need to create these maps for the 587 miles of Lake Champlain shoreline so that protection priorities and response strategies can be identified, allowing rapid response in the case of an oil or chemical spill. This presentation will provide an overview of the Lake Champlain Environmental Sensitivity Index Mapping.
Click here to register.
Presenter: Ben Fisher, physical scientist, U.S. Geological Survey New York Water Science Center

Road Salt Education Workshop
2026-10-07 09:00 - 13:00 | Hyde Park, VT, Hyde Park, VT
Mark your calendars for this road salt education workshop. More details coming soon!

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. University of Vermont Extension, Burlington, Vermont. University of Vermont Extension, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status.

Research Webinar: Exploring How Mild Winters and Storm Events Influence Soil and Nutrient Transport in Lake Champlain Basin Streams
2026-12-16 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom – registration required
In this research webinar, Dr. Clayton Williams will present his Vermont Water Resources and Lake Studies Center project results. An abstract for this presentation will be available soon.
Participants should expect approximately 30 minutes of presentation, which will be recorded, followed by a facilitated, 30-minute Q&A period.
Register in advance for this webinar.
To request a disability-related accommodation to participate in any of these webinars, please contact Lake Champlain Sea Grant / Jessie Curl at 802-656-1159 or seagrant@uvm.edu no later than three weeks before your chosen date so we can assist you.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. University of Vermont Extension, Burlington, Vermont. University of Vermont Extension, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status.
