{"id":3607,"date":"2026-05-07T12:23:53","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T16:23:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/?page_id=3607"},"modified":"2026-05-07T12:27:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T16:27:09","slug":"clean-water","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/clean-water\/","title":{"rendered":"Clean Water"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lake Champlain Sea Grant engages in extension and outreach\u00a0activities to support clean water in Lake Champlain and its tributaries. Phosphorus, plastic, and road salt are some of the main pollutants challenging Lake Champlain. Combined with increased flooding and warmer waters, these pollutants can create conditions in the lake that harm ecosystems, recreators, and can threaten human health. Learn more about specific programs and interest areas below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: false, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-is-layout-flow\">\n<div data-wp-class--is-open=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;id&quot;: &quot;accordion-item-1&quot;, &quot;openByDefault&quot;: false }\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initAccordionItems\" data-wp-on-window--hashchange=\"callbacks.hashChange\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-item is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-item-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading\"><button aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-item-1-panel\" data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggle\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleKeyDown\" id=\"accordion-item-1\" type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle\"><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-title\"><strong>Learn more<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span><\/button><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div inert aria-labelledby=\"accordion-item-1\" data-wp-bind--inert=\"!state.isOpen\" id=\"accordion-item-1-panel\" role=\"region\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-panel is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-panel-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-essential-blocks-accordion  root-eb-accordion-ry3ft\"><div class=\"eb-parent-wrapper eb-parent-eb-accordion-ry3ft \"><div class=\"eb-accordion-container eb-accordion-ry3ft\" data-accordion-type=\"accordion\" data-tab-icon=\"dashicons-plus-alt2\" data-expanded-icon=\"dashicons-minus\" data-transition-duration=\"500\"><div class=\"eb-accordion-inner\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-essential-blocks-accordion-item eb-accordion-item-xfxnw eb-accordion-wrapper\" data-clickable=\"false\"><div class=\"eb-accordion-title-wrapper eb-accordion-title-wrapper-eb-accordion-ry3ft\" tabindex=\"0\"><span class=\"eb-accordion-icon-wrapper eb-accordion-icon-wrapper-eb-accordion-ry3ft\"><span class=\"dashicon dashicons dashicons-plus-alt2 eb-accordion-icon\"><\/span><\/span><div class=\"eb-accordion-title-content-wrap title-content-eb-accordion-ry3ft\"><h3 class=\"eb-accordion-title\">Oil Spill Prevention and Response<\/h3><\/div><\/div><div class=\"eb-accordion-content-wrapper eb-accordion-content-wrapper-eb-accordion-ry3ft\"><div class=\"eb-accordion-content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lake Champlain Sea Grant\u00a0partners with the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network and the Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant Network to host webinars and training\u00a0related to safe practices for fuel transport. Lake Champlain Sea Grant also conducts and shares training and provides resources for marina owners and boat operators about\u00a0oil spill prevention and response.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/outreach\/oil-spill-prevention-response\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Learn about Crude Oil transport and access resources regarding oil transport<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-essential-blocks-accordion-item eb-accordion-item-jbbes eb-accordion-wrapper\" data-clickable=\"false\"><div class=\"eb-accordion-title-wrapper eb-accordion-title-wrapper-eb-accordion-ry3ft\" tabindex=\"0\"><span class=\"eb-accordion-icon-wrapper eb-accordion-icon-wrapper-eb-accordion-ry3ft\"><span class=\"dashicon dashicons dashicons-plus-alt2 eb-accordion-icon\"><\/span><\/span><div class=\"eb-accordion-title-content-wrap title-content-eb-accordion-ry3ft\"><h3 class=\"eb-accordion-title\">Cyanobacteria<\/h3><\/div><\/div><div class=\"eb-accordion-content-wrapper eb-accordion-content-wrapper-eb-accordion-ry3ft\"><div class=\"eb-accordion-content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Expansive areas of photosynthesizing bluish-green cyanobacteria in lakes are called blooms. These blooms can contain toxins that can be harmful to both human and other animals\u2019 health. A variety of state, local, and regional organizations are engaged in efforts to monitor for the presence of blooms and to alert the public when they are present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lake Champlain Sea Grant\u2019s focus has been to educate the public about how to keep humans and dogs safe from cyanobacteria toxins.&nbsp;A&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=oWWlzxv5Vbc&amp;list=PLX4Epplbh76gaN4rjiKgUy4yj_zz-EYjl&amp;index=5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">short&nbsp;video&nbsp;is available<\/a>&nbsp;to help people understand how to recognize cyanobacteria blooms, health concerns that result from exposure, and how to keep your dog safe if it is exposed to a bloom. A&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/sites\/default\/files\/uploads\/Cyano_brochure_2022_07_19v2.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">brochure<\/a>&nbsp;is available for dog owners. LCSG&nbsp;also worked with local and state beach managers and community leaders to develop common&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/beach-cyanobacteria-bloom-warning-and-closed-signs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">signs about cyanobacteria swim area closings and warnings<\/a>&nbsp;that can be used at different beaches to simplify messaging for beachgoers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-essential-blocks-accordion-item eb-accordion-item-7e36t eb-accordion-wrapper\" data-clickable=\"false\"><div class=\"eb-accordion-title-wrapper eb-accordion-title-wrapper-eb-accordion-ry3ft\" tabindex=\"0\"><span class=\"eb-accordion-icon-wrapper eb-accordion-icon-wrapper-eb-accordion-ry3ft\"><span class=\"dashicon dashicons dashicons-plus-alt2 eb-accordion-icon\"><\/span><\/span><div class=\"eb-accordion-title-content-wrap title-content-eb-accordion-ry3ft\"><h3 class=\"eb-accordion-title\">Plastic Pollution<\/h3><\/div><\/div><div class=\"eb-accordion-content-wrapper eb-accordion-content-wrapper-eb-accordion-ry3ft\"><div class=\"eb-accordion-content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plastic debris is a growing issue along Lake Champlain\u2019s shorelines\u2014most notably near the urban areas of Burlington and St. Albans in Vermont and Plattsburgh, New York.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Foam<\/strong>, used in everything from disposable coolers to dock flotation, breaks apart easily and accumulates in the environment. As a result, foam continues to be one of the most collected products during shoreline cleanups, with tens of thousands of microfoam and large foam pieces gathered from 2012\u20132023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Microplastics<\/strong>, plastic pieces less than 5mm in length, are smaller than an eraser tip. Microplastics can come from nurdles, small pre-production plastic pellets used in plastic manufacturing or from bigger plastics that have broken down in the environment. Since plastics never break down, all plastics in the environment either get cleaned up and disposed of in a landfill or continue to degrade into smaller and smaller microplastics which can harm wildlife and leach chemicals into waterways. This pollution not only disrupts aquatic ecosystems\u2014impacting fish, wildlife, and water quality\u2014but it also disproportionately affects communities who rely on Lake Champlain for fishing and recreation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/lake-champlain-basin-marine-debris-coalition\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Learn about the Marine Debris Community Action Coalition and LCSG&#8217;s role.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-essential-blocks-accordion-item eb-accordion-item-zfmge eb-accordion-wrapper\" data-clickable=\"false\"><div class=\"eb-accordion-title-wrapper eb-accordion-title-wrapper-eb-accordion-ry3ft\" tabindex=\"0\"><span class=\"eb-accordion-icon-wrapper eb-accordion-icon-wrapper-eb-accordion-ry3ft\"><span class=\"dashicon dashicons dashicons-plus-alt2 eb-accordion-icon\"><\/span><\/span><div class=\"eb-accordion-title-content-wrap title-content-eb-accordion-ry3ft\"><h3 class=\"eb-accordion-title\">Resources for Boaters and Marinas<\/h3><\/div><\/div><div class=\"eb-accordion-content-wrapper eb-accordion-content-wrapper-eb-accordion-ry3ft\"><div class=\"eb-accordion-content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each year in early spring, the Vermont Boat and Marine Association, Lake Champlain Basin Program, Lake Champlain Sea Grant, and UVM Extension host an annual meeting of marina owners and operators. The event gives marina owners and operators a chance to reconnect\u00a0after the winter and to learn about relevant policies, funding opportunities, and research and outreach activities.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/boating-and-marinas\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"3057\">\u00a0Get resources for boaters and marinas.<\/a><br><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-essential-blocks-accordion-item eb-accordion-item-5x061 eb-accordion-wrapper\" data-clickable=\"false\"><div class=\"eb-accordion-title-wrapper eb-accordion-title-wrapper-eb-accordion-ry3ft\" tabindex=\"0\"><span class=\"eb-accordion-icon-wrapper eb-accordion-icon-wrapper-eb-accordion-ry3ft\"><span class=\"dashicon dashicons dashicons-plus-alt2 eb-accordion-icon\"><\/span><\/span><div class=\"eb-accordion-title-content-wrap title-content-eb-accordion-ry3ft\"><h3 class=\"eb-accordion-title\">Road Salt<\/h3><\/div><\/div><div class=\"eb-accordion-content-wrapper eb-accordion-content-wrapper-eb-accordion-ry3ft\"><div class=\"eb-accordion-content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Use of salt to prevent ice from forming on roads and other surfaces is important to protect public safety, but salt can\u00a0negatively impact\u00a0the environment, including our waterways. Through its\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/road-salt-water-quality-salt-savvy-champlain\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Salt Savvy Champlain program<\/a>,\u00a0LCSG\u00a0provides education for winter\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/salt-savvy-tips-for-municipal-snow-fighters\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"2557\">snow and ice\u00a0professionals with\u00a0municipalities<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/salt-savvy-tips-and-resources-for-private-contactors\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"2550\">commercial salt applicators<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/reducing-use-of-deicing-salt-for-businesses-custodial-staff\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"3214\">businesses and custodial staff<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/tips-for-reducing-use-of-road-salt-for-community-leaders\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"3211\">community leaders<\/a>, and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/reducing-use-of-deicing-salt-for-homeowners\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"3199\">individuals<\/a>\u00a0to help everyone\u00a0reduce the amount of salt used while still maintaining safe conditions.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-essential-blocks-accordion-item eb-accordion-item-nsz7j eb-accordion-wrapper\" data-clickable=\"false\"><div class=\"eb-accordion-title-wrapper eb-accordion-title-wrapper-eb-accordion-ry3ft\" tabindex=\"0\"><span class=\"eb-accordion-icon-wrapper eb-accordion-icon-wrapper-eb-accordion-ry3ft\"><span class=\"dashicon dashicons dashicons-plus-alt2 eb-accordion-icon\"><\/span><\/span><div class=\"eb-accordion-title-content-wrap title-content-eb-accordion-ry3ft\"><h3 class=\"eb-accordion-title\">Stormwater Management<\/h3><\/div><\/div><div class=\"eb-accordion-content-wrapper eb-accordion-content-wrapper-eb-accordion-ry3ft\"><div class=\"eb-accordion-content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stormwater management is one of the most pressing issues for resource managers in the cold climate of the Lake Champlain basin. Runoff from developed lands can carry pollutants such as Phosphorus to our waterways and impact the health of aquatic ecosystems. Lake Champlain Sea Grant works with residents, homeowners, practitioners, and other community partners to support various stormwater management practices.<br><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/outreach\/lawn-care-and-stormwater-runoff\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The &#8220;Raise the Blade&#8221; campaign<\/a>&nbsp;encourages homeowners, businesses, and municipalities are encouraged to follow three simple lawn care practices that help reduce&nbsp;stormwater&nbsp;runoff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mow grass no shorter than 3 inches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Allow grass clippings to decompose in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cut only about one-third of the height of the grass at each mowing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:26px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Riparian forest buffers are woodland areas next to streams, rivers, and wetlands. Healthy riparian ecosystems can provide a number of benefits for human and ecological communities alike.\u00a0They can help intercept nutrients, sediment, and pesticides from nearby areas before they enter our waterways; assist in streambank stabilization; decrease the frequency and severity of flood events; keep streams cool for their resident aquatic organisms; store carbon as they grow; provide critical habitat for wildlife; and serve as the venue for myriad cultural and recreational benefits.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/watershed-forestry-partnership\/why-riparian-forest-buffers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Learn more about riparian buffers.<\/a><br><br>Green <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/node\/408\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">infrastructure (GI)<\/a>, which includes green stormwater infrastructure (GSI),\u00a0is a cost-effective and\u00a0resilient approach to managing stormwater impacts while also providing many co-benefits to communities. Green infrastructure\u00a0uses nature-based solutions such as vegetation, soils, and other elements and practices to restore some of the natural processes required to manage water and create healthier human environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:26px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: false, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lake Champlain Sea Grant engages in extension and outreach\u00a0activities to&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_eb_attr":"","_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":""},"class_list":["post-3607","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"ticketed":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3607","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3607"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3607\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3612,"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3607\/revisions\/3612"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3607"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}