Watershed partners unite to develop Watershed Action Plan for Lake Iroquois and Patrick Brook

The Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District (WNRCD) has been awarded funds through the Lake Champlain Basin Program to develop a Watershed Action Plan for Lake Iroquois and the Patrick Brook watershed.

Lake Iroquois straddles Williston and Hinesburg, while the Patrick Brook runs through Hinesburg past Champlain Valley High School.

The WNRCD is partnering with a group of homeowners on the lake — the Lake Iroquois Association — and the Lewis Creek Association, as well as Waterbury-based engineers from SLR Consulting, to identify and address areas where stormwater runoff and phosphorus pollution could be improved to benefit water quality, wildlife habitat and climate change resilience.

Throughout this spring and summer, the partners will be conducting road and stream assessments to identify areas where erosion, limited trees next to streams or road runoff/culverts could be contributing pollutants like phosphorus to streams and lakes that flow to the LaPlatte River and into Lake Champlain.

Pollutants like phosphorus can contribute to algal and cyanobacteria blooms, impacting aquatic life and human health.

In addition to the road and stream assessments, the WNRCD has a goal to complete Lake Wise assessments for lakefront properties and Storm Smart assessments on riparian or upland properties. During an assessment, WNRCD staff will visit a property and create site-specific clean water best management practice recommendations — such as rain gardens, buffer plantings and driveway water bars — to keep water on site, spread it out and sink it into the ground. These assessments are voluntary and free of charge.

Lakefront property owners can sign up for an assessment at https://bit.ly/lake-wise. Upland property owners can sign up at https://bit.ly/storm-smart.