The Watershed report identified 20 areas/projects that were considered to be having significant negative impact on the lake’s water quality.  The coalition chose 5 of those projects to begin focus and improvement on.  These were not necessarily the top 5 areas having the greatest negative impact.   In some cases those were on private property and so required the owner’s participation. Work began 2022 to improve the following issues:

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1. GRIGGS ROAD ISSUE 

• Channel run off formed from stone lined ditch on the south side of Griggs Road near #187 Griggs Rd. 

• Runoff from the road comes down a ditch, through a culvert under the road and then and wraps around the house and flows into a tributary that feeds the lake. 

Status:

• The banks of the incised ditch were shaved to better manage volume of water & prevent channel run off. 

• Added straw waddles along the bank and rock to the bottom.

• Installed check dams and planted live willow stakes all along the banks to help absorb the water run-off and reduce erosion

Further Plans:

• Add additional and a variety of trees to disturbed areas to prevent further erosion.

• Replace culvert across the town road with a larger one.

 

2. TOWN RECREATION AREA

• Run off from the gravel road and parking area is concentrated near the canoe/kayak rack.  It have eroded a channel under the rack, which flows into the lake.

• Stream that flows through the Rec. area and into the lake lacks a natural buffer to reduce nutrient loading.

• Mowed area right to lake’s edge contributes to nutrient loading and absence of natural filtration.

Status: 

• No progress as of 2/2024

Further Plans:

• We will be installing a bio-retention basin (rain garden) between the parking lot and the boat rack. 

• Boat rack will be moved further onto beach and rebuilt.

 

3.  LAKESHORE DRIVE

• There is no buffer between road and water resulting in concentrated runoff/nutrient loading directly into the lake.

• Seasonal gully’s form on the eroded embankment that directly inputs sediment into the lake.  There is a deep stretch of road that lacks a drainage ditch causing server rill erosion for 150 feet near the eastern bend of the road.

Status: 

• Postponed due to lack of landowner support. 

  

4.  PUBLIC BOAT/FISHING ACCESS 

• Runoff from RTE 100 has resulted in erosion near the cross-culvert inlet. 

• The addition of water bars has helped but there is still opportunity to improve infiltration and the sediment load into the lake.

• Sediment load is exacerbated by the accumulation of gravel as a result of snow plowing.

Status:

• A stone lined ditch was created on the south side of the upper parking lot to catch storm water runoff from route 100.

• A stone catchment system was created, by the Greeter area, to slow drainage to the lower parking lot.

Further Plan:

• Add infiltration steps for easier pedestrian access and educational signage

 

5.  BOYSCOUT CAMP

• There is an eroded channel & gully forming due to storm water run-off.  This is in area where the channel enters a stream that flows into the lake.  Run off is concentrated along the western side of the parking lot. 

• In addition, there are significant drainage problems around the facility. 

• The location used for snow storage for the parking lot may also be contributing to extra run off into the channel.

Further Plan:

• This will be a large storm water treatment project that will be initiated spring 2024.  It will involve two large subsurface infiltration systems, grass swales, and a culvert replacement

 

6.  BACKSHORE DRIVE

• Involves multiple locations along backshore Dr. properties/ tributaries.

• Undersized culverts resulting in washouts, aggrading at culvert inlets, clogging of culverts, runoff of debris and nutrients into lake, and erosion to properties & road.

• Flooding of properties/road

Further Plan:  

• A Preliminary design will be drafted 2023 to begin work

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Learn More:

• VT DEC-Lay Monitoring Program - link

• Lake Eden Watershed Report - link

• Watershed plan Appendix E - Problem Areas - link

• Watershed plan Appendix F - Project Designs - link

• Lake Eden Score Card - link