As I see it, we’re about 2/3 of the way through winter with one month to go until we round the corner into springtime. Despite the fact that today didn’t exactly offer perfect conditions to launch the dory for a frosty February row, I do have a bit of good news. Atypically high water levels have been fueling my angst for a couple of months, but it’s time to stop “Champlaining” (aka “Lake Champlaining” aka enjoying the Lake Champlain lifestyle) and celebrate the gradual-but-perceptible downward, trend in lake levels.
Let’s start with a quick, reassuring photograph of the boathouse today, well above lake level.
I’ll return to they still-somewhat-concerning heightened water level, but first a refresher on “Champlaining”.
A common refrain, “Stop Champlaining!” is actually a lighthearted reminder that even on the clunkiest of days, time spent plying (or playing i/on) the waters of America’s greatest lake is a revitalizing gift.
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(And [sometimes we’re even] fortunate enough to have a winter freeze so that we can skate and cross-country ski on the lake!)
Champlaining is a term of lighthearted gratitude for the immense good fortune that so many of us enjoy in, on, and near the greatest of American lakes, Lake Champlain. Mucking through late midwinter strikes me as the optimal moment to share the distinct joy of champlaining with a quick photo essay.
(Source: Champlaining)
Needless to say, this hasn’t been a winter for skating and cross country skiing on the lake. At least not near Rosslyn.
It may be the middle of winter in Vermont and the North Country, but snow and ice have been hard to come by in some areas. It has been especially hard for those who love winter sports on the ice. The… Ice Fishing Derby on Lake Champlain has been cancelled due to poor ice conditions.
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Lake Champlain has only frozen over three times in the past 15 years. The last time was in 2019.
(Source: myChamplainValley)
Of course, when I was growing up, and even in more recent years, a signature component of our North Country winter was a frozen Lake Champlain. Looks extremely unlikely that the broader lake will freeze over this winter.
But, alas, it looks like we will wait another year to see the lake freeze over. Or perhaps skating, skiing, and snowshoeing across Lake Champlain are slipping into nostalgic history? And ice fishing, ice boating,… too?!
Time will tell.
For now, let’s focus on the good news I mentioned above. Although Lake Champlain water levels are still almost 2 feet above historic mean, we’ve been steadily dropping and dropping and dropping as illustrated in the USGS screenshot above. We’re currently out of the danger zone for now.
And, interestingly, enough, if you look at the second USGS screenshot, you’ll note that we’re actually almost exactly at the same water level where we were at this time last year. I suspect that’s not truly reassuring in the biggest sense sense it seems to suggest an upper trend on lake levels, but it does offer some reassurance that we might avoid flooding again this spring. Fingers crossed.
That said, some of our biggest winter snows have actually come in March in recent years. Maybe we will get lucky this time around…
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