COLCHESTER, Vt. (WCAX) – Extremely low water levels on Lake Champlain are raising concerns for recreational users.
There’s no doubt about the drought.
“I’ve never seen the water so low,” said Christina Lacroix of South Burlington.
“I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s pretty crazy,” said Michelle Collins of Colchester.
“It’s a huge topic of conversation. I feel like it’s been coming up like in all my social groups when we talk about the lake. It’s like the first thing that people are mentioning,” said Mikala Magnant of St. Albans.
Vermonters hoping to cash in on a few more summer favorites before fall have been left high and dry.
“It takes a lot longer to walk your paddleboard, all the way out to the water,” Lacroix said.
And the low levels spell trouble for boaters, especially those with docks. “My neighbor, he’s been moving it and he he’s just about as far as he can go. He can’t go any further because he doesn’t gain any depth. So, if it drops anymore, he’s going to have to pull his docks in because he can’t use them,” said Luke Lacroix of Williston.
One unexpected perk is allowing unusual access to islands typically accessed only by water. “Right before the Labor Day weekend, and I saw a bunch of people with cards, beach cards and backpacks, and they just went right out to the island from the causeway easily walking,” Collins said.
Wednesday’s recorded lake level sits at just above 93 feet according to the National Weather Service — exactly one foot lower than the average for September 3.
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