Farrant Street, City of Newport Stormwater Treatment Project

Farrant Street, City of Newport Stormwater Treatment Project

Starting in mid-July, the Memphremagog Watershed Association, in partnership with the City of Newport, will be breaking ground on a stormwater improvement project on Farrant Street near the Newport Marina and former Numia Medical Technology building. The stormwater improvements will prevent approximately 19.8 pounds of phosphorus and over 1,000 pounds of sediment from entering Lake Memphremagog each year.

Valley Brook, Morgan, Vermont             Restoration Project Phase 1

Valley Brook, Morgan, Vermont Restoration Project Phase 1

The Memphremagog Watershed Association was recently awarded nearly $143,000 from the Department of Environmental Conservation’s Water Quality Formula Grant program to complete stream and floodplain restoration work on Valley Brook in Morgan. Phase 1 of the restoration project will begin in August, and shortly thereafter a transformation will take place on the property off Valley Road. As part of a farm retirement and conservation effort, the former dairy operation will be decommissioned and converted into a VT Fish & Wildlife Department Streambank Management Area (SMA) for use by the public for fishing, hunting, trapping, and wildlife viewing.

Know What Cyanobacteria Look Like

Know What Cyanobacteria Look Like

Cyanobacteria (sometimes called blue-green algae) are tiny microorganisms that are a natural part of fresh water ecosystems. Under certain conditions, cyanobacteria can multiply quickly, creating blooms on the water’s surface that can also wash up along shorelines. Blooms can produce toxins harmful to humans and animals. 

See a video of cyanobacteria and photos of what is – and isn’t – a bloom at HealthVermont.gov/cyanobacteria. 

“Take a quick scan of the water before you, your kids or your pets go in,” said Bridget O’Brien, an environmental health scientist with the Vermont Department of Health. “If you see any scummy or discolored water – or if you are unsure – play it safe and find another place to go.”

Guidance for property owners to help protect shorelands in Vermont

Guidance for property owners to help protect shorelands in Vermont

The Vermont Lakes and Ponds Program offers guidance to help property owners protect and restore lake side properties. The Shoreland Best Management Practices guidance contains multiple Best Management Practice documents. Each document highlights different activities that can improve water quality and the health of lakeshore habitat. Examples of activities include planting native trees and shrubs, installing rain gardens to absorb runoff, improving driveways and pathways, and creating no-mow zones.

Recruiting and Training for Cyanobacteria Monitors

Recruiting and Training for Cyanobacteria Monitors

From the Vermont DEC Website:

Help us monitor for cyanobacteria blooms this summer by becoming a trained monitor! The official cyanobacteria monitoring season will begin on June 26. Monitors will receive a training from DEC staff on how to recognize and report blooms, and commit to monitoring a location on a lake every week for 12 weeks or more on the same day of the week.

2023 Scholarships Awarded

Memphremagog Watershed Association’s Scholarship Program proudly announces three area high school students have been awarded $500 scholarships. 

We congratulate the recipients: Abbie Snedeker and Destiny-joi Glover from Lake Region Union High School, and Cooper Brueck from North Country Union High School. Scholarships are awarded to students pursuing further education in the sciences, particularly but not limited to environmental science.

PUBLIC INVITED TO DISCUSS WATERSHED ACTION PLAN FOR THE LAKE MEMPHREMAGOG, TOMIFOBIA, AND COATICOOK BASIN

PUBLIC INVITED TO DISCUSS WATERSHED ACTION PLAN FOR THE LAKE MEMPHREMAGOG, TOMIFOBIA, AND COATICOOK BASIN

Public comment meetings on the Draft Basin 17 Tactical Basin Plan have been scheduled for May 18th and 23rd. Everyone is Welcome

May 18th at 12:30 PM – Prouty Beach Pavilion, 386 Prouty Beach Rd, Newport City, Vermont – hosted by the Orleans Natural Resources Conservation District

May 23rd at 6:30 PM – Gateway Center, 84 Fife Drive, Newport City, Vermont – hosted by the Memphremagog Watershed Association

Make Every Day Arbor Day

Make Every Day Arbor Day

This Arbor Day, April 28, 2023, members of Memphremagog Watershed Association (MWA) joined the City of Newport to plant trees along the Clyde River Buffer zone maintained by MWA in conjunction with the City.  The City planted five trees to supplement the buffer zone along the Clyde in Newport and to replace some trees that have been…

Wake Boats in Vermont

Wake Boats in Vermont

The sport of wakesurfing has found its way to Vermont, but not everyone is riding the wave. Host Connor Cyrus will talk with Vermonters who are concerned about wake boats’ role in environmental problems like shore erosion and the spread of invasive species. We’ll learn about proposed rules that would end the use of wake boats on some Vermont lakes and restrict their use on others.