Angler use of Lake Champlain climate buoy data 2016-2018

Session: Education, Outreach, and Citizen Science in Our Great Lakes: Engaging the Community (2)

Mark Malchoff, Lake Champlain Sea Grant, [email protected]
Eric Leibensperger, SUNY Plattsburgh, [email protected]

Abstract

An automated data buoy was seasonally deployed in the main lake segment of Lake Champlain from 2016 to 2018.  The buoy collected surface air temperature, wind speed/direction, pressure, and water column temperature (every 2 meters from the surface to 50 meters depth).  The instrument was deployed to:  1) demonstrate the utility of continuous observations of physical properties of Lake Champlain, establishing need for a long-term climate monitoring program; 2) observe spring to fall weather conditions over the main lake for relation to biological, chemical, and physical lake characteristics and use by the NOAA National Weather Service Forecast Office in Burlington; and 3) relay information on lake conditions, data, and research results to Lake Champlain stakeholders.  Near real-time data were made available to stakeholders via a website hosted at SUNY Plattsburgh.  The webpage provided raw and summarized tabular and graphical information to a variety of research, boating, angling and marine industry stakeholders.  A subset of these stakeholders (e.g. downrigger equipped trout and salmon anglers) were queried about buoy data value, utility, access and potential negative impacts.  Analysis of survey data is ongoing and will be discussed in detail in oral or poster format.