Working to improve the health and vitality of the Lamoille River Watershed by:

• Leading and coordinating partners and organizations in the watershed
• Supporting local watershed-improvement actions and projects
• Raising public awareness through education and engagement

Organizations involved in the Lamoille Watershed Basin planning process recognized the need for watershed-wide implementation efforts in 2004. Lamoille County Conservation District took the lead for the Lamoille River Watershed by implementing the Lamoille Watershed Initiative which is dedicated to serving all parts of the watershed within and beyond the boundaries of Lamoille County.

LCCD Watershed Activities and Outreach Projects

• LCCD initiated a Trees for Streams Program in 1991 and continues to restore riverbanks by installing riparian buffers throughout the watershed each year
• Coordination and management of projects that cross jurisdictional boundaries for landowners, farmers, and foresters
• Education programs aligned with VT State Frameworks
• Service-Learning Opportunities for all ages
• Stream bank plantings using bioenginnering methods
• Collaborative partnerships with local watershed groups and projects

Lamoille Watershed Water Quality Monitoring and Exchange Project

LCCD visited participating schools in the Lamoille Watershed to introduce a collaborative Vermont EPSCoR Stream Project being completed by colleges in the watershed. Johnson State College, St. Michael’s, Sterling College and University of Vermont students collected samples on tributaries to record phosphorus, e-coli, and macroinvertebrate indicators for healthy water parameters.

Middle and high school students were introduced to the Stream Project and followed similar protocols in gathering data in the field at sample sites where college students also gathered data. In some cases, representatives from colleges were available to guide students in the data collecting. Sampling consisted of a macroinvertebrate analysis, chemistry test, and riparian buffer observation. Participating students visited the site in the Fall 2008 and will gather information again in Spring 2009.

Schools participating in the project created Lamoille Watershed Resource Pages to describe their field work, follow up research, and results from their observations. These Lamoille Watershed Water Quality Monitoring and Exchange Project pages is a community sharing space for student narratives and data, a link to the scientifically legitimate data at VT EPSCoR and can also be a public posting forum for general observations of the river. Please contact LCCD to find out how you can post information.

How to Get Involved

Volunteers are needed for the following activities:

• Spring planting of trees and shrubs along streams and rivers
• Helping with watershed education in schools
• Organizing a local group to address watershed issues close to home

Become a LCCD Member to support the Lamoille Watershed Initiative

Lamoille River Resources for Educators
Activities and Outreach Projects ranging from Educational Kits, to Resource Professionals, to historical information, to maps and curricula.

Lamoille River Water Quality Monitoring and Exchange Project
Watershed data and observations collected by schools, colleges, and citizens.

Lamoille River Photo Gallery
Photos from throughout the watershed. May be used for educational purposes and credited to Kimberly Komer.

Lamoille River Watershed Agriculture & River Resource Guide
The most up to date local guide to the history of and current concerns of the Lamoille Watershed. A must have for any science or environmental program. Made possible with support from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, and the Morrisville Rotary Club.

Section 1: Lamoille River History and Current Conditions
Section 2: Resource Pages
Section 3: Lesson Plans