1. LAKE CHAMPLAIN
PHOSPHORUS
CONTAMINATION:
Environmental, Economic, and
Social Equity Issues

3. Clean water is valued for many reasons. We depend on
lakes and streams for drinking water and recreation.
Wildlife depends on habitats created by healthy streams,
wetlands and lakes. Water quality has declined in some
parts of Lake Champlain, due to excess entry of
phosphorus into the lake. Our company Being Green
Pays have three priorities for saving the quality of Lake
Champlain:
Protect and restore ecological and cultural
resources of the Basin while maintaining a
vital economy for the region

4. Historical Importance of Lake
Champlain
Lake Champlain is the 6th largest body of water in the
United States
It is home to the oldest known fossil reef in the world. (450-
480 million years old)
It is the birthplace of the American Navy, and but for the
stalling effects of the American fleet lead by Benedict Arnold
in the fall of 1776, the American Revolution probably would
have been lost.

5. Geographical Facts of Lake Champlain
It is 120 miles long and 12 miles wide at its widest point.
It has over 70 islands and 600 miles of shoreline.
Its deepest point is 400 ft. The average depth is 64 ft.
It is bounded on the west by the Adirondack Mountains of
New York, and on the east by the Green Mountains of
Vermont. It flows north from Whitehall, New York to the
Saint Lawrence River in Quebec.

6. Animals who call Lake Champlain
Home
81 species of fish, 318 species of birds, 56 species of
mammals, plus 21 species of amphibians and 20 species of
reptiles also rely on Lake Champlain for their drinking water.
The lake is a major breeding area and a stopping point for
spring and fall birds migrating along the Atlantic flyway.
16 species of birds found in the Champlain Basin are listed
as endangered species.

8. Economic Geography
The lake caters to various outdoor recreational activities,
including kayaking, hiking, and cross country skiing.
On a typical summer day in 1992, there were 7500 motor
boats, 3000 sailboats, 15 commercial vessels, and countless
swimmers, wind surfers, kayakers, canoers and scuba
divers on or in the lake. 10 years later that number has
increased significantly.

12. Importance of Lake Champlain to
people living around the lake
More than 188,000 people rely on
Lake Champlain for their drinking
water.

13. Why are we worried about Lake
Champlain's Future?
Excessive levels of phosphorus have lead to
negative environmental factors such
as increased algae growth, loss of aquatic
species living in the lake, and water
treatment problems, all major threats to
humans and the environment

15. Blue Algae

16. Priorities for saving the quality of Lake
Champlain
Protect and restore ecological and cultural
resources of the Basin while maintaining a
vital economy for the region

17. What is Phosphorus?
Phosphorus is the chemical element that has the symbol P.
A multivalent nonmetal of the nitrogen group, phosphorus is
commonly found in inorganic phosphate rocks. Due to its high
reactivity, phosphorus is never found as a free element in nature
on Earth. It is an essential element for all living cells.
Wikipedia.org:

18. Why is too much phosphorus bad?
Too much phosphorus in streams, rivers, and lakes can lead to
accelerated plant growth, algae blooms, low dissolved oxygen,
and the death of certain fish and other aquatic animals. Because
phosphorus is a nutrient, algae thrive on it. Algae can spread
across the water surface in large quantaties which prevents
sunlight from reaching the underlying plants. As a
consequence, plants die and decompose. Micro-organisms that
feed on dying plants also thrive and consume too much of the
oxygen in the water body, leaving fish and other aquatic life to
die.

19. Where does excess phosphorus come
from?
Land run off:
Rain and melting snow carry large amounts of fertilizing chemicals
(primarily phosphorus and nitrogen) off the land into the water from:
livestock manure;
dog and cat droppings;
rich topsoil from exposed gardens and farm fields;
construction site run-off;
eroding stream banks trampled by livestock;
street run-off, including air pollution fallout, lawn fertilizers, and
home car-washing.

20. What is the Phosphorus Cycle?
The global circulation of phosphorus from
the environment to living organisms and
back to the environment.

21. The Phosphorus Cycle

22. How does this pertain to the
conditions of Lake Champlain?
Phosphorus is a limiting nutrient to plants and algae
in certain aquatic ecosystems. The increasing
phosphorus concentrations in surface waters from
land run-off raises the growth of phosphate-
dependent organisms, such as algae and duckweed.
These organisms use great amounts of oxygen and
prevent sunlight from entering the water. This makes
the water fairly unliveable for other organisms.
This phenonmenon is known as eutrophication .

23. Lake Champlain is divided into several distinct
lake segments. Each segment has a different level
of phosphorus, which determines that segment's
trophic level.
Trophic Level: Each level in a food chain.
The trophic status of a lake segment is a measure of
how much plant growth is supported by phosphorus
in the water.

24. Eutrophic areas have excessive levels of
phosphorus and are highly impacted, whereas
mesotrophic and oligotrophic areas have moderate
and low levels of phosphorus and associated
impacts. Lake Champlain's segments range from
the oligotrophic Mallett's Bay to the highly
eutrophic South Lake.

25. Other Undesirable Effects of Phosphates
· Increased algae growth
· Reduced water clarity
· Water treatment problems
o Odor and bad taste
o Increased filtration costs
o Disinfectant byproducts with potential human health effects
· Reduced oxygen in the water
· Altered fisheries
· Fish kills
· Toxins from cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) affecting
human and animal health

26. Dangers of excess phosphates in
humans:
We know now that too much phosphate in the water can
cause blue-green algae blooms, so how does this affect
our own health. Exposure to blue-green algae can cause
rashes, skin and eye irritation, allergic reactions,
gastrointestinal upset, and other effects such as liver
toxicity and neurotoxicity. At high levels, exposure can
result in serious illness or death.

27. The basics of what we know about
excess phosphates:
Water treatment problems
Reduced water clarity, undesirable for
recreational activities
Kills Fish
Toxins from cyanobacteria (blue-green algae)
affects human and animal health

28. What can we do to reduce the input of excess
phosphates in Lake Champlain?
There are several potentially
successful approaches

29. Some possible solutions that have been
discussed in recent years:
an ecosystem approach that stresses management decisions which
recognize the inter-relationships among the physical, biological and
chemical components of the Lake Champlain Basin;
a watershed approach that recognizes that Lake Champlain is affected by
activities throughout its Basin. Water quality protection and ecosystem
restoration efforts should be focused along watershed boundaries;
integration of environmental and economic goals in the decision-making
process and in selecting the most cost-effective actions to protect and
enhance the resources of the Basin;

30. pollution prevention as a cost-effective means to protect the environment
by eliminating pollution before it is generated;
a consensus-based, collaborative approach that strengthens the outcomes
of decisions by facilitating a dialogue among multiple interested parties;
flexibility built into programs and organizations so that they can adapt
according to emerging issues, resources and technology
education of citizens of the underlying problems associated with excess
phosphorus use and ways to reduce overuse, waste, and pollution of
phosphate use

31. Where is the majority of the excess input of
phosphorus flowing into Lake Champlain
coming from?
Runoff from roads and developed areas, and from lawns,
farmlands, and other rural areas (called nonpoint sources)
contribute more than 90% of the phosphorus.
A 2007 report for the Lake Champlain Basin Program,
estimated that 46% of the nonpoint source phosphorus
load is from urban land uses and about 38% is from
agricultural land

32. Knowing this, where do we start to
eliminate excess phosphorus?
The facts state that the 90% of non-
point phosphorus runoff into Lake Champlain is
equally divided between urban land uses and
agricultural land uses

33. Local ways to curb urban runoff of
phosphorus:
In the farming/argricultural community:
Reduce the use of phosphates in cattle feed by using
alternative feed methods such as soybean meal.
*Cattle feed contains a large amount of phosphorus, the
excess amount not needed by the cattle is excreted
through their feces and causes the most concern with
respect to environmental pollution from animal manure.
Better manure management, ie; composting

34. Local ways to curb urban runoff of
phosphorus:
As a community or citizen:
Switch to phosphorus free automatic dishwashing detergent
Wash your car on your lawn so that excess water and detergents can soak
into the grass
Use phosphorus-free fertilizers
Do not rake your yard waste into nearby streams, lakes, or stormwater
gutters
Properly maintain your septic system especially by pumping every few
year
Become an active member of a local watershed group

35. Local ways to curb urban runoff of
phosphorus:
As a city or town:
Prohibit the use of fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides on town
parks and athletic fields.
Preserve natural vegetation buffers along river and stream banks
to help filter stormwater runoff.
Infiltrate stormwater runoff into the groundwater wherever possible
and appropriate, since phosphorus is highly absorbable by soils.
Adopt a stormwater or low impact development (LID) bylaw that
promotes the use of LIDstormwater best management practices.

36. Are these local approaches to curbing
urban runoff of phosphorus enough to
solve the current conditions of Lake
Champlain?
NO

37. These approaches will greatly impact the reduction
of phosporus in local water systems, but will not put
a dent in solving the problem of the overabundance
of phosphorus already polluting Lake Champlain.
More goverment funding needs to be
allocated to the area
as well as environmental awareness

38. Proposed Actions to Reduce
Phosphorus in Lake Champlain:
Fund Non-point Control Programs:
Sources for funding non-point control programs:
EPA administers section 319 of the Clean Water Act, also known as the
Nonpoint Source Management Program. Under section 319, states,
territories, and tribes apply for and receive grants from EPA to implement
NPS pollution controls. As of 1995, EPA had awarded more than $370
million under section 319 to address NPS pollution problems.
The USDA administers incentive-based conservation programs through
the Consolidated Farm Services Agency, the Natural Resources
Conservation Service, and the U.S. Forest Service to help control NPS
pollution from agriculture, forestry, and urban sources.

39. Due to budget cuts funding from theses
agencies is not enough.
Additional funding needs to be subsidized through the
following ways:
State soil and water conservation agencies
Grants from local governments, state agencies, and
conservation non-profits
Lobbying from local politicians concerned about the water
quality of Lake Champlain

40. Raising Public Awareness
In an effort to garner public support for future efforts the
Plattsburgh, NY and Burlinton, VT municipalities will need
to raise public awareness
Raising public awareness will be a unified effort lead by
municipalities, state and federal government agencies
to initiate educational awareness groups for local citizens
Additional groups similar to project WET in Vermont,
which teaches students K-12th grade about various
environmental factors such as climate and water
conservation and the impacts their actions have upon them

41. It is environmentally imperative that we
improve the overall health of Lake
Champlain
Research has shown the wide-range of harmful impacts of
excessive phosphorus input into Lake Champlain. Steps
taken to improve the quality of the lake will have a positive
impact on various factors such as better water quality,
increased tourism, healthier living conditions for both humans
and animals that live in or around the lake.