VT Dept. of Enviro. Conservation Seeking Ice-out Reports
Lauren Honican
Hi Everyone,
I wanted to share something I just learned about: the VT Dept. of Enviro. Conservation is seeking online ice-out reports for lakes and ponds across VT.
By reporting when these bodies of water are ice-free, they know when to start their spring water quality monitoring (more info below).
As the skating season winds down, if you are able to capture ice-out dates for any bodies of water near you, you can report them here.
I'm not directly associated with this work, just helping spread the word. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the contact on the ice-out form: Mark Mitchell (mark.m...@partner.vermont.gov).
Thanks!
Lauren
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Press Release from Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation
March 18, 2022
Contact:
Lindsay Miller, Lake and Shoreland Ecologist
Department of Environmental Conservation | Agency of Natural Resources 802-490-6200 | lindsay...@vermont.gov
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION SEEKS LAKE ICE OBSERVATIONS FROM PUBLIC
STATEWIDE– As spring temperatures arrive, the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is inviting Vermonters to report when lakes and ponds lose their ice cover, known as the “ice-out date.” The spring date when a lake becomes completely ice free from shore to shore lets DEC staff scientists know the best time to begin their seasonal water quality sampling efforts.
Since 1977, scientists with the Department have been collecting spring water quality information on lakes larger than 10 acres in size. When lakes are covered in ice, the water underneath is layered or “stratified” into sections based on water temperature and density. Soon after the ice cover is gone in the spring, the water layers weaken and mix together. Water samples collected at this time of mixing show the total amount of phosphorus a lake will have available to fuel algae and aquatic plant growth throughout the year.
The ice-out date is also important to help assess the impact of climate change on Vermont's lakes and ponds. Using long-term records of lake ice, scientists are hoping to better understand statewide and regional climate trends. “We collect ice-in and ice-out information in order to assist with water quality monitoring but also to track Vermont’s changing climate”, says Mark Mitchell, a limnologist with Lake Champlain Sea Grant and the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. “We are seeing trends of earlier lake ice-out dates across New England, which can be an indicator of climate change.”
The Department of Environmental Conservation has an online ice-out reporting form that the public can use to share their observations.
Many lake communities around the state hold ice-out contests, usually in the form of a raffle where the winners can receive prizes or cash. Some of the more famous and long-running ice-out contests are on Joes Pond (Danville), Lake Memphremagog, and Lake Iroquois (Hinesburg). These contests are an engaging way for lake associations and communities to encourage folks to observe lakes and ponds throughout the year.
For more information, please visit The Vermont DEC Lakes and Ponds website: https://dec.vermont.gov/watershed/lakes-ponds
The Department of Environmental Conservation is responsible for protecting Vermont's natural resources and safeguarding human health for the benefit of this and future generations. Visit dec.vermont.gov and follow The Department of Environmental Conservation on Facebook and Instagram.
