The White River Conservation District is pleased to partner with the LMPA, LMC, LMF to create a Lake Watershed Action Plans (LWAP) for Lake Morey. We recently received funding from the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Dept. of Environmental Conservation to develop a plan specific to Lake Morey.
The LWAP will combine a lake’s condition of shoreland, tributaries, and hydrologically connected roads in an individual planning guide that prioritizes restoration and protection actions for Lake Morey. Lake Watershed Action Plans help identify the greatest threats to water quality, wildlife habitat, and overall lake ecosystem health. The Plan will include a priority list of the greatest threats to the lake and concept designs for solving these issues. Additionally, shoreland development is often known to be the principal threat to water quality in a given lake, Lake Wise Assessments will be completed to identify voluntary projects that shoreland property owners can undertake to mitigate or minimize threats to the lake.
The plan will be developed in close coordination with the Lake Morey community and the three lake organizations. The LMPA is taking the lead in coordinating the program, and will be managed by the following committee: Bill Minard, Chair, Laura Tucker, Robin Rowland, Donna Richardson, Dana Ozimek and Denise Drouin. The intent of the LWAP is to guide local efforts towards actions that have been identified under the Plan strategy. For Additional information about LWAPs including technical guidelines, examples from other lakes and information about Lake Wise click here
2023 Spring Newsletter Message:
Lake Morey was selected in the spring of 2022 to participate in Vermont’s Watershed Action Plan initiative. As described on Vermont’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) website: “A Lake Watershed Action Plan (LWAP) is an assessment and planning tool used to identify greatest threats to a specific lake ecosystem.” A completed LWAP will include:
- Results from a lake-watershed assessment of the lake shoreland, the lake’s tributaries, and hydrologically connected roads
- Identification of sources of nutrient and sediment runoff within the watershed and threats to fish and wildlife habitat
- Prioritization and ranking of the severity of identified sources of pollution and habitat impacts
- Recommendations for restoration and protection
The prioritized list of restoration and protection projects identified through the LWAP process can be considered for funding under the Clean Water Initiative Program, and other sources. For a complete overview of the project visit the DEC’s website for A Technical Guide for Conducting a LWAP.
The White River Natural Resources Conservation District was awarded the grant ($30,000) who subcontracted with Bear Creek Environmental to conduct the Lake Morey LWAP. There are three components of the LWAP: Tributary Assessment, Shoreline Assessment and Roadway Assessment. Presently on Lake Morey the tributary assessment is underway, the shoreline assessment is scheduled for the spring of 2023, and the roadway assessment for the fall of 2023 to be followed by a report and recommendations to address identified stressors.
As part of the shoreline assessment, shoreline owners will be encouraged to participate in the Lake Wise program. As described on the DEC website: The Lake Wise Program aims to inform, teach, and change the current lakeshore development practices from clearing shores and building sea walls to practices that are more lake friendly and known to effectively protect the lake. Through Lake Wise, participants receive technical assistance (no cost to owner) for fixing erosion, dirty runoff problems, and diminished shoreland vegetation which will protect lake quality and wildlife habitat. Several Lake Morey lakeshore owners have already completed the program. The Aloha Foundation, with significant waterfrontage is also participating (one can see some of the plantings in front of one of the lakeshore cabins). If you would like your property enrolled in the Lake Wise Program please let the LMPA committee formed to support the LWAP (Denise Drouin, Bill Minard, Dana Ozimek, Donna Richardson, Robin Rowland, Laura Tucker) at (bminard@gmavt.net) know and we will get you on the list. No component of the LWAP program is regulatory, there are no penalties assessed, follow through by lake shore owners is voluntary.