DESCRIPTION: The Lake Champlain Watershed is an officially designated resource of national significance that spans the States of New York and Vermont and into Canada. It drains nearly half of Vermont, provides drinking water to approximately 250,000 people, and is a critically important economic and ecological driver for the region. In order to protect and restore this vital resource, Congress and the President established the Lake Champlain Watershed Environmental Assistance Program in December 2000. The program leverages the expertise of the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), in partnership with local, state, and other federal actors, to provide environmental assistance to non-federal interests in the Lake Champlain Watershed.
The goal of the Lake Champlain Watershed Environmental Assistance Program is to provide assistance with planning, designing and implementation of large-scale projects that protect and enhance water quality, water supply, ecosystem integrity and other water related issues within the watershed. The Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) is the administrative partner of USACE to implement this program under the terms of a General Management Plan. Congress is authorized to appropriate up to $100 million for this program; $14.3M has been received to date.
AUTHORIZATION: Section 542 of Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2000 (Public Law #106-541) as amended in Section 3160 of WRDA of 2007 (Public Law #110-114).
|
STATUS: The New York District has completed six projects and one study under the Lake Champlain Program. There is currently one project in progress.
|
|
Champlain Canal Aquatic Invasive Species Barrier, NY- This project seeks to determine the best method of preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species from the Hudson River watershed through the Champlain Canal and into Lake Champlain. Phase I (Study) began in 2017 with the execution of a design assistance agreement between USACE and the New England Interstate Water pollution Control Commission and concluded in March of 2022 with three recommended alternatives. Phase II (Study/Design) began with the execution of a design assistance agreement between USACE and the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation. This phase of the project aims to refine the alternatives identified in Phase I and begin design work on the selected alternative. Phase II is anticipated to take approximately two years, concluding in fall 2027.
|
CONTACT:
MR. Evan Nelson
Project Manager
P: (917) 225-7356
Email: Evan.M.Nelson@usace.army.mil
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS:
Sen. Sanders (I-VT), Sen. Welch (D-VT), Sen. Schumer (NY), Sen. Gillibrand (NY)
Rep. Balint (D/VT-00); Rep. Stefanik (NY-21)