Visit the new Lakeshore Vegetation and Buffers page!

Lakeshores are a limited and valuable resource, both to land owners as well as Vermont's native plants and animals. You are invited to learn how to live on a lakeshore, enjoy it, and protect the lake environment at the same time!

Shoreland Management

Only You Can Save Your Lake!

There are many ways in which a shoreland resident can influence lake quality and health. Good driveway maintenance, lawn care, runoff management, shore vegetation enhancement, and septic system management and maintainance all help you take care of the lake.  

Click here for a list of basic Do's and Don'ts (pdf 285 KB) for living along the lakeshore.

Shoreland Vegetation

A mixture of native trees, shrubs and groundcover on a lakeshore offers the landowner protection from erosion and privacy, and is a critical factor in a healthy lake ecology.

Click here to learn how to Go Wild! (pdf 3.8 MB) to reestablish, enhance or maintain shoreland vegetation.

Stabilization Measures for an Eroding Shoreline (pdf 1.3 MB) shows how to stop erosion using vegetation instead of a retaining wall.

Visit our new webpage: Lakeshore Vegetation and Buffers!

Also available:

A list of Vermont nurseries that sell native species (pdf 280 KB).

Native Vegetation for Lakeshores, Streamsides and Wetland Buffers (pdf, 13 MB)

Septic Systems

Proper shoreland septic system maintenance is an important part of lake protection! Even a system that is not visibly failing can be allowing nutrient-rich leachate to enter the lake if it poorly sited, designed or maintained.

• Pump the septic tank once every three years
• Practice water conservation
• Replace insufficient systems
• Click here for more details about septic system maintenance and assessment (pdf, 520 KB)
• Click here for a Septic System Self-Assessment (pdf, 1 MB) that can help you rate the risk your septic system may pose to the lake.

Questions about the state septic systems regulations? Contact your district Regional Engineer.

Driveway Maintenance

Private roads and driveways around lakes can often be a source of pollution (in the form of eroded soil) to a lake. Installing water bars, maintaining a good crown on the surface, and diverting water can keep your driveway in better shape and help the lake at the same time! Good driveway maintenance (pdf 1.6 MB) practices can prevent your driveway from contributing to sediment and phosphorus pollution to the lake.

Watershed Management

Land use activities within a lake's watershed all influence a lake's health. A watershed survey (pdf 1.1 MB) can help a lake association, town or other group understand the potential impacts of land uses within their particular watershed and identify projects to address problems.

You can contact a Watershed Coordinator or Susan Warren for assistance conducting a watershed survey and addressing identified problems.

Better Backroads

The Vermont Better Backroads Program works with landowners and town road crews to apply common sense techniques to maintain gravel roads that protect the environment at the same time. Information and assistance is available through:

• Publications such as the VT Better Backroads Manual
• Grants to inventory and/or correct road erosion problems
• On-site technical assistance
• Workshops and informational meetings

See the Clean and Clear website for a full program description. Also, visit the Northern Vermont Resource Conservation and Development Council's website for information on obtaining grants to correct erosion problems on town or association-owned roads.

Lakeshore residents take note! The grants and assistance are available for work on private roads as well as town roads. Click here for a handout about driveway maintenance (pdf 1.6 MB)

The VT Better Backroads Program is a partnership between the VT Local Roads Program, Northern Vermont Resource Conservation and Development Council, the VT Agency of Transportation, and the VT Agency of Natural Resources. For more information, contact Susan Warren.

Additional Resources

• Don't "P" on Your Lawn: Tips for green lawns not green lakes (pdf, 116KB)
• A Compendium of Vermont Lake & Pond Association Projects (2002-2007) (pdf, 145 KB)
• A link to Lake and Watershed Associations in Vermont
• Starting and Running an Effective Lake Association (pdf 580 KB)
• Funding Your Association's Good Work (pdf 650 KB)
• Connecting With Local Schools (pdf 1.2 MB)
• ANR's Clean and Clear website
• Watershed Grants
• Watershed Surveys