Lake Champlain Committee: Cyanobacteria Monitor Trainings
Help assess Lake Champlain water conditions around the lake. Complete our cyanobacteria monitor interest form if you're interested in monitoring during the 2018 season or want to attend a training session to learn more about the lake. Feel free to share this invite with other lake lovers.
Monitoring will begin in June and run through at least Labor Day with as many monitors as possible continuing to collect data until the end of September. Both new and returning monitors need to receive annual training. Participants must have weekly access to the same shoreline location (either public or private) and be able to file online reports. The program provides critical data on where and when blooms are happening and is relied on by citizens as well as health, environmental and recreation agencies. It also provides data to help understand the triggers for blooms so we can reduce their frequency. Data from the monitoring program is regularly uploaded to the Lake Champlain cyanobacteria data tracker map hosted by the Vermont Department of health and accessible to anyone with internet access.
The LCC monitor training sessions are free and open to the public but please pre-register to ensure we have enough space and materials. Presentations will last about an hour and a half and provide background about cyanobacteria (AKA blue-green algae), guidance on how to differentiate it from other lake phenomena, instructions for assessing water conditions, and actions to take to reduce blooms. Contact us at lcc@lakechamplaincommittee.org or (802) 658-1414 if you have any questions or would like to help organize a training session for your community.
Bob and Mary McKearin, LCC cyanobacteria monitors for Burlington's North Beach.