Vermont Lake Watershed Action Plans (LWAP) are an assessment and planning tool that evaluate potential sources of sediments, phosphorus, and other undesirable inputs into waterways within a lake’s watershed and identify potential projects that will remediate these sources. LWAP assessments include an evaluation of a lake’s current condition of shoreland, tributaries, wetlands, and hydrologically connected roads as well as an assessment of already existing monitoring data to identify the greatest threats to the lake ecosystem. The LWAP results in a list of projects that have been prioritized based on a set of criteria that includes phosphorus reduction, cost efficiency, feasibility, landowner buy in and others. 5-10 projects will be selected from this prioritized list to receive 30% designs. The LWAP is an individual planning guide for the watershed that identifies key projects for implementation and that prioritizes restorative and protective actions within the watershed. Long-term monitoring data on several of Vermont’s larger lakes show significantly increasing nutrient enrichment trends, including Sabin Pond (Woodbury Lake) in Calais, VT. Lake Watershed Action Plans are needed for these lakes to help identify the greatest threats to water quality, wildlife habitat, and overall lake ecosystem health. Unlike many lakes where LWAPs have taken place in Vermont, Sabin Pond (Woodbury Lake) does not have an active lake association that can direct time and resources to practices that best protect the lake. This LWAP will require the contractor to do extensive outreach within the community to individual homeowners, the town, the conservation commission, and other entities to gain community support for the LWAP and for the potential future installation of clean water projects as a result of this assessment.
