History, Natural History & the Arts
My introduction into exploring the depths of waterways began at Lake George on June 14, 1981. On that date, I completed a check out dive off Diamond Island to acquire my scuba certification.
Diamond Island, four miles north of Million Dollar Beach, has for over six decades been the site where thousands of scuba students have taken their practical “exam” to become certified scuba divers. [Read more…] about From Lake Champlain to the Search for Africa’s Mysterious Mokele-mbembe
In late October Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) community science volunteer Ashley Leemans tossed an aquatic rake into Lake Champlain and pulled in a clam while doing a routine monitoring check for aquatic invasive species (AIS) at the South Bay Boat Launch in Whitehall, New York. Leemans immediately reported her finding complete with photos to LCC who followed-up with state agencies that conducted further analysis and confirmed that the mollusk was the golden clam (Corbicula fluminea). [Read more…] about Aggressive Invasive Golden Clam Found in Lake Champlain
Common bladderwort (Utricularia vulgaris) is a carnivorous plant that lives submersed in the water and is native to Lake Champlain. Carnivory stretches our common perception of plants as peaceful photosynthesizers. This trait evolved in plants independently at least a dozen times, so bladderworts are not necessarily closely related to plants like the Venus flytrap. [Read more…] about Bladderwort: The Fastest Plant in the World
Pond lilies (Nymphaeales) are one of the oldest flowering plants on earth: their fossil record dates to the early Cretaceous period (about 125 million years ago). This was a time when dinosaurs roamed and simple non-flowering plants carpeted the landscape: ferns, horsetails, and smaller coniferous trees. [Read more…] about Pond Lilies: One of the Oldest Flowering Plants on Earth
Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata) can be seen blooming through September. They evolved a rare trait called tristyly, which means that their flowers take on three unique forms. The main distinction between the three types has to do with the proportions of the reproductive structures within the flower, so to us they may all look the same, but to a pollinator who gets “under the hood” of the flower, they are quite different. [Read more…] about Aquatic Plants: Pickerelweed
The Lake Champlain Committee of Vermont, New York, and Quebec has announced today that Lori Fisher, its Executive Director, will retire on December 31 after more than 30 years of service to the organization and the Lake Champlain Basin. [Read more…] about Lori Fisher Retiring as Executive Director of Lake Champlain Committee
It has been two weeks since flooding devastated many communities in the Lake Champlain watershed and throughout the states of New York and Vermont. The heavy rains lasted for days and sent rivers and streams over their banks, pouring into homes and businesses and carrying a swill of debris, nutrients, sediment, untreated wastewater, chemicals, and more into Lake Champlain.
If you live in an area not directly affected it may be hard to understand the monumental impact. [Read more…] about Wake of the Flood: A Lake Champlain Report
Citing opposition from environmental groups and the public, Lake Champlain Transportation Company and Vermont Division for Historic Preservation have announced the withdrawal of its application for a permit to sink the Adirondack, a retired ferry, in Lake Champlain. Instead of being abandoned underwater to create artificial interest for scuba divers, the vessel will be scrapped. [Read more…] about Champlain Ferry ‘Adirondack’ Sinking Plan Stopped by Opposition
The Lake Champlain Committee in partnership with Lake Champlain Sea Grant have announced their expanded line up of “Zoom a Scientist” programs.
The public can tune in virtually through Zoom every Tuesday and Friday from noon to 1 pm to learn more about Lake Champlain. [Read more…] about Zoom A Lake Champlain Scientist Programs
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