Watershed and Climate Resiliency

Lakes, rivers, and streams provide important recreational, health and economic benefits for our communities. Because of the large number of waterbodies in our region, a main planning focus for LCLGRPB is watershed, lake, and stream corridor planning that ensure the long-term health of the region’s waterbodies.  

Planning at the watershed level provides an appropriate scale to manage water resources as it can better capture all contributing factors to water quality. Portions of the Lake Champlain, Upper Hudson River, Mohawk River, Black River, and Saint Lawrence River Watersheds lie within the LCLGRP service area. 

Services Offered

LCLGRPB assists municipalities and other eligible organizations in identifying, applying for, and administering grants related to water quality, watershed management planning, and outreach and education. LCLGRPB also works with lake associations and municipalities to create high level, lake management plans, and outreach and education materials to promote healthy lakes and watersheds.

Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) Program

Administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), the WQIP program funds projects that directly address documented water quality impairments, reduce the potential for harmful algal blooms (HABs), and protect drinking water sources across the state. The funding opportunity is provided as part of New York State’s Consolidated Funding Application (CFA). LCLGRPB has helped secure this funding for roadside erosion projects, municipal salt shed construction, and invasive species prevention.

Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP)

Administered by the New York State Department of State (NYSDOS), LWRP plans aim to identify and address a community’s future path for the development of its water and upland resources in order to preserve the natural and cultural characteristics of the community’s waterfront and water-based resources. Through this funding source, LCLGRPB most often works with communities to develop watershed management plans that develop strategies to effectively and comprehensively address water quality issues. This funding opportunity is provided as part of New York State’s Consolidated Funding Application (CFA).

Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP)

The LCBP coordinates and funds efforts that benefit the water quality of the Lake Champlain Basin and its fisheries, wetlands, wildlife, recreation, and cultural resources. The LCBP provides funding opportunities in various categories at different times throughout the year.

Lake Management Plans and outreach and education

A lake management plan is a smaller scaled-down watershed management plan that can be individualized to the needs and priorities of each lake. LCLGRPB works with your lake association and other stakeholders to develop a lake management plan that includes an overview of the issue faced by your lake and provides recommendations tailored to your lake’s needs. 

watershed coalitions

LCLGRPB works within the Lake Champlain, Upper Hudson River, and Saint Lawrence River Watersheds.  

Much of LCLGRPB’s service area lies within the 8,234 square mile Lake Champlain watershed which spans the States of New York and Vermont, and the Province of Quebec in Canada. The New York State portion of the watershed is just over 3,000 square miles within Warren, Washington, Essex, Clinton, and Franklin counties.

The Upper Hudson River Watershed is approximately 4,620 square miles, 90% of which falls within New York State and spans a large portion of LCLGRPB’s service area - most of Washington and Warren County and large parts of  Essex and Hamilton Counties.  

The Saint Lawrence River is the gateway between the North Atlantic and the Great Lakes. The river drains an area of nearly 300,000 miles at its most downstream point. The LCLGRPB service area covers a portion of this drainage area lies in northern Hamilton County and small parts of western Essex and Clinton Counties.

Champlain Watershed Improvement Coalition of New York (CWICNY)

The primary objective of CWICNY is to reduce phosphorus loading to Lake Champlain through the implementation of projects and practices throughout the New York side of the Lake Champlain watershed. CWICNY is made up of  representatives from Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Warren and Washington Counties including County Soil and Water Conservation Districts, County Water Quality Coordinating Committees, and LCLGRPB. The group goes beyond political boundaries and utilizes public sector/private citizen partnership to implement projects that benefit the watershed. https://www.cwicny.org/

In March of 2018, the LCLGRPB with support from CWICNY, municipal officials and other stakeholder, completed the Lake Champlain Non-Point Source Pollution Subwatershed Assessment and Management Plan. This plan identifies specific planning and implementation efforts to reduce phosphorus inputs into surface waters from an array of non-point sources including urbanized areas, agricultural operations, streambank and roadside erosion, and aging public and private wastewater infrastructure. The plan identifies 263 projects and programs totaling $187,000,000 in funding needs. This plan was funded by a New York State Department of State Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) grant to the Town of Moriah, Essex County.

Upper Hudson River Watershed Coalition (UHRWC)

The UHRWC is comprised of members from Essex, Hamilton, Washington, Warren, Saratoga, Rensselaer, and Fulton Counties. The coalition collaborates to alleviate water quality impairments throughout the 4,070 square miles of the Upper Hudson River watershed within New York State.

In March of 2020, LCLGRPB with support from the UHRWC, municipal officials and other watershed stakeholders, completed the Upper Hudson River Watershed Revitalization Plan. The plan assesses the current state of the watershed and examines water quality stressors that are impacting the watershed including stormwater, agricultural operations, invasive species, erosion, water supply and wastewater, and aquatic organism passage. The plan identifies over $300,000,000 in funding needs for water quality improvements throughout the watershed. This plan was funded by a New York State Department of State Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) grant to the Town of Horicon, Warren County.