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Lake Runnemede labeled "impaired"; ANR to gather data and propose mitigation
Summary
The Paradise Park Commission heard that the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources has reclassified Lake Runnemede as "impaired" due to rising nutrient trends. ANR will begin more data collection in June and prepare a mitigation plan; commissioners discussed fertilizer runoff, sewage, and outreach to local stakeholders.
The Paradise Park Commission on Jan. 19 heard that the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources has changed Lake Runnemede’s status to "impaired" because of water-quality concerns and increasing nutrient trends, including a recorded spike last summer. Commission member Jim Bennett said ANR will begin additional data collection in June and will produce a mitigation plan to guide local responses.
Commissioners discussed likely sources of nutrient loading, including long-term agricultural soils that can release nutrients years after farming ceases, storm runoff, and leaking sewage from nearby neighborhoods. The commission noted the lake’s complex nutrient dynamics — surface and benthic nutrient pools and dead or living aquatic plants — and warned that gradual increases can reach tipping points, magnified by climatic events. Members agreed the next year should focus on gathering more data and coordinating with the town and the Upper Valley land trusts to develop mitigation options.
