Ice Cream Social on April 19

CCST is hosting an Ice Cream Social outside the Champlain Mill in Winooski on Thursday, April 19 from 5:30 - 7:00 pm.  Enjoy Ben and Jerry's ice cream while learning more about your local watershed and what you can do to protect it.  Attendees will have the chance to win a rain barrel, learn about rain garden plants, and have a local water sample tested (please bring one with you).  We hope to see you there. 

Lewis Creek Association to Work with Town of Shelburne on Stormwater Mitigation

Lewis Creek Association (LCA) has been awarded a Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VTDEC) $18,810 Ecosystem Restoration Grant to work with the town of Shelburne in the development and implementation of a Grass Swale Stormwater Mitigation Best Management Practice (BMP) Plan. The project will identify specific grass swale designs that will reduce the impacts of stormwater runoff and protect water quality. A methodology will be developed to assist the town in the evaluation and prioritization of grass lined swales while considering specific site conditions including safety, hydrology, soil types and slope.

Check out the full press release here.

 Upcoming Worskshop

CCST is hosting a free workshop for Chittenden County residents on Thursday, March 29 from 5:30pm - 7:30pm in the Milton Community Room.  The workshop will focus on low cost strategies and tips for controlling residential stormwater including rain gardens, rain barrels, natural lawn care, and cisterns.  What a great way to get ready for spring.  Call the Milton Recreation Department at (802) 893-4922 to sign up.

EPA's "Reduce Runoff: Slow it Down, Spread it Out, Soak it in" Video

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Botanic Garden produced this 9-minute on-line video, "Reduce Runoff: Slow It Down, Spread It Out, Soak It In," that highlights green techniques such as rain gardens, green roofs and rain barrels to help manage stormwater runoff.

The film showcases green techniques that are being used in urban areas to reduce the effects of stormwater runoff on the quality of downstream receiving waters. The goal is to mimic the natural way water moves through an area before development by using design techniques that infiltrate, evaporate, and reuse runoff close to its source.

The techniques are innovative stormwater management practices that manage urban stormwater runoff at its source, and are very effective at reducing the volume of stormwater runoff and capturing harmful pollutants. Using vegetated areas that capture runoff also improves air quality, mitigates the effects of urban heat islands and reduces a community's overall carbon footprint.

Watch the video here.

Sunderland Brook Cleanup A Huge Success

On Saturday, October 22 over 40 volunteers came out to help clean up the banks of Sunderland Brook in Essex, VT.  Over the course of two and a half hours, these dedicated citizens removed beverage containers, corrugated metal, cinder blocks, shopping carts, shoes, bicycles, and a host of other trash including (can you believe it) a cast iron wood stove.  This removal of these materials is a huge step towards improving the quality of this precious resource.  Let's hope the brook stays clean for many years to come.  Thank you to everyone who helped out on this fantastic day.

 CCST Installs a Rain Garden at the Chamberlin School in South Burlington

On September 6 and 7, CCST worked with over 30 students, teachers, and volunteers to install a 210 square foot rain garden at the entrance to the Chamberlin Elementary School. The garden is 8" deep and was planted with an assortment of plants including ferns, lilies, irises, grasses, hostas, and astilbe. Over the past week, the garden has done a wonderful job of keeping stormwater from flowing onto the adjacent parking lot and out to a nearby stream.

In the weeks and months to come, the 4th grade class that helped build the garden will learn more about soil, water, and pollution. We wish them luck in their educational pursuits and hope that they will continue to learn from this project.

Special thanks go out to all the staff and students at the Chamberlin School who participated, Bern Scarpa for his willingness to help all day, South Burlington Stormwater Services for their generous support of this project, and Arcana Nurseries for the beautiful plants.

New Hampshire Develops Residential Guide for Stormwater Management
Looking for some guidance as to what you can do to manage stormwater on your property?  Check out the guide here.

Stream Team Becomes a Project of the Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District
Starting in June, the CCST will be managed by the WNRCD which is a local organization dedicated to enhancing, restoring, and protecting natural resources within Chittenden and Washington Counties including three towns in Orange County.  Over the course of the next three years, WNRCD will continue to provide opportunities for public participation revolving around stormwater through a series of projects, workshops, and events.  We are actively scheduling projects and events for this summer so check back often for more details.

Stream Team to Track Chittenden County Water, as reported by the Burlington Free Press. Check out the article here.

Saint Michael's College Monitors Benthic Macro Invertebrates in stormwater impaired streams. Check out the data here.