[shankwheat]

I had no idea that Lake Champlain was so polluted. I saw an enormous amount of algae after swimming there at different beaches near Burlington last summer in the cloudy murky water. Every time I take my dog swimming there he comes out smelling like a cesspool. I guess most of the pollution stems from agricultural run-off from the overuse of manure and nitrogen.

It's yet another example of how the reality of Vermont doesn't match it's reputation.

[FrugalYankee]

Farms are the worst polluters but it is not PC to say anything critical of them.

[Vermonr]

In the lake's defense, last year experienced a wave of uncharacteristically hot weather in March and April immediately following erosion from the previous year. But yeah, it's a lake surrounded by farmland and houses, not a pristine lake perched on the top of a mountain. Blue green algae is dangerous and should be avoided, but otherwise the lake isn't unsafe to swim in. Just as long as you're not drinking lake water, which you shouldn't be doing anyways. The only option is to shake our finger at VT's family farms...which you know won't happen.

[arctichomesteader]

It isn't only the farms, Burlington and other places still dump raw sewage into the lake occasionally.

[68vette]

There are also lake homes (seasonal cottages) that dump waste into the lake as well. We live right on the Bay in Colchester and we have a pool for swimming. The bay beach is closed every year for various amounts of time. My personal opinion is the lake is disgusting. Outside of the algae blooms, the amount of garbage floating in the lake is not what many people expect to see in a Northern New England lake.

[harry chickpea]

What you call pollution is largely invasive water weeds that have colonized, overgrowing and starting the rotting and
eutrophication process.
Boaters who trail their boats and don't rinse them have transported those same weeds into many of the landlocked ponds, to the point that there are very few lakes and ponds that have crystal clear water anymore.

It is nice to point fingers at runoff and increased phosphorous loading, but some of these weeds/algae/plants are MUCH more aggressive than the ones that used to be around. In some of the woodland ponds, eutrophication is going full steam, even though there is no upland farming.

Also, there are areas of Lake Champlain that have ALWAYS been prone to seaweeds and algae, particularly the flat shallows with mud. North Beach is a place we used to avoid, and the beaches in Mallets Bay used to be OK only until July. Up around the Sandbar State Park and North Hero were generally fine (except for mosquitoes and chiggers).

[j_jimerino]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

It isn't only the farms, Burlington and other places still dump raw sewage into the lake occasionally.

Yes, but I recall the news item reported that after millions of gallons of sewage leaked from a ruptured pipe officials predicted it would "have little to no effect".

They're after the real culprits finally though. I saw an article in the Burlington Free Press the other day where a rather angry looking woman was picking up dog poop with a plastic bag and alerting us to the disastrous effect that pet feces are having on the lake. Apparently spreading fields with manure or sewer mains accidentally spewing raw sewage directly into the lake were just red herrings. No word yet on whether a program to diaper Vermont's deer, moose and raccoon populations is in the works but we have to take this one step at a time. :P

[68vette]

Originally Posted by harry chickpea

What you call pollution is largely invasive water weeds that have colonized, overgrowing and starting the rotting and
eutrophication process.
Boaters who trail their boats and don't rinse them have transported those same weeds into many of the landlocked ponds, to the point that there are very few lakes and ponds that have crystal clear water anymore.

It is nice to point fingers at runoff and increased phosphorous loading, but some of these weeds/algae/plants are MUCH more aggressive than the ones that used to be around. In some of the woodland ponds, eutrophication is going full steam, even though there is no upland farming.

Also, there are areas of Lake Champlain that have ALWAYS been prone to seaweeds and algae, particularly the flat shallows with mud. North Beach is a place we used to avoid, and the beaches in Mallets Bay used to be OK only until July. Up around the Sandbar State Park and North Hero were generally fine (except for mosquitoes and chiggers).

The weeds are a problem, but that is the least of the worries. The pollution is garbage (plastic bottles, cans, etc), chemical (fuel spills from boats, farm chemicals, run off from roads and sewers when it rains, etc) and human and animal waste. The primary reason for all beach closings is high E. coli or Giardia counts. The Lake Champlain Basin Program has recognized these issues, but because of the size of the lake it's a near impossible task to control. What makes it a difficult task is that there are two states and another country that border the lake. It's like trying to keep the Rio Grande River clean.

[harry chickpea]

Originally Posted by 68vette

The weeds are a problem, but that is the least of the worries. The pollution is garbage (plastic bottles, cans, etc), chemical (fuel spills from boats, farm chemicals, run off from roads and sewers when it rains, etc) and human and animal waste. The primary reason for all beach closings is high E. coli or Giardia counts. The Lake Champlain Basin Program has recognized these issues, but because of the size of the lake it's a near impossible task to control. What makes it a difficult task is that there are two states and another country that border the lake. It's like trying to keep the Rio Grande River clean.

Agree with most of those. Have you seen how many real WORKING farms there are now compared to in the past though? North Beach was ALWAYS sewage runoff. Don't look at me, I just try to keep people honest. ESPECIALLY those people who want to severely restrict other people because of their own fantasy apocalyptic visions.

[arctichomesteader]

Just saw this: Investigation into sewage seeping into Lake Champlain - WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-

360,000 gallons of sewage dumped into the Winooski River, to flow into the lake...