GLOVER — Earlier this year, the town of Glover, in partnership with the Shadow Lake Association, received a grant of $13,427 for the operation of the greeter station from the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation.
This grant, combined with the support of the town and members of the Shadow Lake Association, provides watercraft inspections and free boat washing for all boaters using the lake as is now required by state law.
This funding went directly to help pay the greeter staff salaries which includes the hours in which it is open, as well as greeter training.
The SLA members volunteer to oversee boat wash operations with the goal of preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species, which can destroy the lake, fish and wildlife ecosystems, ruin public enjoyment, and severely degrade property values and the communities’ ability to thrive.
Shadow Lake established its greeter program in 2003.
It was the first and only hot water boat wash in Vermont until 2016.
It is a state-authorized MS inspection and decontamination station using pressurized, 140-degree water to ensure effective decontamination and vegetative growth removal.
It’s Vermont law that boaters are required to have their boats inspected before launching in any lake provided the greeter station is open.
The Shadow Lake Greeter Station suffered some malfunctions this year.
Shadow Lake Association has picked up the tab for all these repair expenses, totaling over $8,500 in order to continue to be good stewards of the lake.
The SLA also received a grant of $846 that goes directly to pay divers to continue its strategic lake management plan monitoring for MS invasions.
This is a labor-intensive activity that requires scuba divers to continuously observe the littoral zone of the lake.
With this grant, along with SLA membership funding, the SLA is winning the battle of keeping MS at bay.
Shadow Lake Association members skipper the boat and donate the gas, which follows the divers each time they dive.
This year there were 45 hours of dive time from the middle of June to the middle of September.
There is a monitor on board at all times to keep an eye on the divers.
Anyone who sees a boat displaying a red and white flag is asked to avoid the area.
The association says these combined efforts are the most cost-effective methods for battling MS and protecting Shadow Lake for the benefit of all.
The SLA asks everyone to remember that transport of any plant, or plant part, failure to inspect one’s own watercraft, trailer, and gear, failure to have any vessel inspected and decontaminated in an open decontamination station, or failure to clean, drain, and dry, could subject boat owners to state fines and fees.
This applies to motorized and non-motorized crafts.
The greeter station washed a total of 890 vessels in 2020.
It saw a huge increase in non-motorized crafts as people chose to come out to enjoy Shadow Lake and stay socially distant while getting exercise and fresh air.
