Learn About Lake Champlain on the Colchester Causeway

By Lake Champlain Sea Grant Staff
August 11, 2021

Did you know the eastern spiny softshell turtle species lives nowhere else on earth except in the northeastern part of Lake Champlain and in the Lamoille River? Did you know washing an average-sized load of laundry can release over 700,000 microfibers into our waterways?

You can find out more about the eastern spiny softshell turtle, about microplastics in our waterways, and much more about Lake Champlain each Friday through August 27 from 12-3pm on the Colchester Causeway. Lake Champlain Sea Grant is partnering with Local Motion to bridge recreation and science at the Colchester Causeway/Island Line bike ferry crossing this summer. Here's how to find us: www.vtbikeped.org/.

Meet up with Lake Champlain Sea Grant staff who will be on hand to provide educational information about local water quality and stories of Lake Champlain. You can learn about the lake's natural and cultural history, geology, and ecology, its challenges, and recreational and stewardship opportunities.

Lake Champlain Sea Grant staff have put together several fun and intriguing “Little Lake Lessons” for Causeway visitors. Take a bike ride on the Causeway on a Friday afternoon to learn more or visit www.uvm.edu/seagrant/causeway.

  • Lesson One – It’s All About Poop: Learn how beach managers test for certain bacteria to determine if water is safe for swimming.
  • Lesson Two – Formation of Lake Champlain: Understand the geologic history of the lake and how it evolved from Lake Vermont and later the Champlain Sea.
  • Lesson Three – Microplastics in Our Waterways: Find out how you can help reduce microfibers in our waterways by how you wash your clothes.
  • Lesson Four – Know Your Native Land: Learn about the first inhabitants of the region and how water or “nebi” plays a role in Abenaki people’s lives.
  • Lesson Five – Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtles: Discover the biology of this endangered turtle and how you can help in its conservation.
  • Lesson Six – Birds on Lake Champlain: The Common Tern: Find out about the nesting and activities of this endangered/threatened bird species and how to help continue its recovery.
  • Lesson Seven – Mercury in Fish: Learn about the dangers of mercury and the guidelines for safe consumption of fish.

Lake Champlain Sea Grant is a partnership between University of Vermont Extension, the State University of New York Plattsburgh, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. To learn more, visit www.uvm.edu/seagrant.