Boquet River water-use advisory in effect Nov. 4 for Lamprey treatment – Adirondack Explorer

Report on Lampricide Treatment in the Boquet River System for Ecosystem Restoration

1.0 Executive Summary

This report details the planned lampricide treatment on the Boquet River, scheduled for November 4, by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The initiative is a critical component of an integrated pest management strategy aimed at controlling the invasive sea lamprey population in Lake Champlain. This action directly supports several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 15 (Life on Land), by seeking to restore ecological balance and protect native biodiversity. The operation also incorporates measures aligned with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) through a temporary public water-use advisory.

2.0 Scheduled Intervention and Public Advisory

A targeted environmental management action is scheduled to commence at 6:30 a.m. on November 4, involving a 12-hour lampricide application. In alignment with SDG 3 and SDG 6, a precautionary water-use advisory will be enforced by the New York State Department of Health to ensure public safety and well-being.

2.1 Water-Use Restrictions

During the advisory period, the following uses of water from the affected areas are prohibited to mitigate public health risks:

• Drinking
• Domestic Use
• Fishing
• Swimming
• Irrigation
• Livestock Watering

The advisory is projected to be lifted within 2-5 days, pending monitoring data confirming that lampricide concentrations have fallen below state health thresholds, thereby restoring access to water resources (SDG 6).

3.0 Geographical Scope of Treatment

The treatment will cover approximately 8.4 miles of the Boquet River and adjacent waters of Lake Champlain, divided into two distinct zones.

1. Zone 1 (River System): This zone includes the main stem of the Boquet River from the Jersey Street Bridge to its mouth, as well as the North Branch extending approximately 1.5 miles upstream.
2. Zone 2 (Lake System): This zone encompasses Lake Champlain waters extending 0.5 miles north and 1.5 miles south of the Boquet River’s mouth.

4.0 Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

4.1 SDG 14 (Life Below Water) & SDG 15 (Life on Land)

The primary objective of the lampricide treatment is the control of invasive sea lamprey, a parasitic species that has caused significant degradation to native fish populations and the broader aquatic ecosystem of Lake Champlain. This intervention is a direct action to:

• Halt Biodiversity Loss: By reducing the population of a destructive invasive species, the program aims to protect and restore native fish stocks, contributing to the targets of SDG 14 and SDG 15.
• Restore Freshwater Ecosystems: The initiative supports the restoration of the ecological health of the Boquet River and Lake Champlain, which is a core objective of SDG 15.1 (ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems) and SDG 15.8 (introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species).

4.2 SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)

This operation exemplifies effective partnership and collaboration between governmental bodies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the New York State Department of Health. Public transparency is maintained through dedicated communication channels, including the fws.gov/champlainlamprey website and a telephone hotline (888-596-0611), fostering stakeholder engagement and cooperation to achieve shared environmental goals.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

   The article on the lampricide treatment in the Boquet River and Lake Champlain connects to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that focus on environmental health, water quality, and biodiversity.

   • SDG 14: Life Below Water: This is the most directly relevant SDG. The article’s central theme is the management of an aquatic ecosystem (Lake Champlain) by controlling an invasive species (sea lamprey) to protect native fish populations. This aligns with the goal of conserving and sustainably using oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development, with principles applicable to large freshwater bodies.
   • SDG 15: Life on Land: This SDG is also highly relevant as it includes the protection, restoration, and sustainable use of inland freshwater ecosystems and halting biodiversity loss. The effort to control an invasive species that has “significantly impacted native fish populations” is a direct action towards protecting the biodiversity of the Boquet River and Lake Champlain ecosystem.
   • SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: The article connects to this SDG through its discussion of the temporary impacts of the treatment on water safety. The issuance of a “water-use advisory” that restricts drinking, domestic use, and swimming highlights the importance of ensuring water is safe for human use and the measures taken to manage water quality during environmental interventions.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

   Based on the actions and objectives described, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

   • Target 15.8: “By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority species.” The entire article describes such a measure: the “lampricide treatment” is an explicit action to control the invasive sea lamprey, which is treated as a priority species impacting the Lake Champlain ecosystem.
   • Target 14.2: “By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts…” While focused on marine environments, the principle applies directly to the management of the Lake Champlain freshwater ecosystem. The treatment is part of an “integrated pest management approach” designed to protect the ecosystem from the adverse impact of the sea lamprey.
   • Target 14.4: “…implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks…” The article notes that sea lamprey have “significantly impacted native fish populations.” The lampricide treatment is a science-based management action aimed at controlling the invasive predator, which is a necessary step toward the restoration of these native fish stocks.
   • Target 6.3: “By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, … and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials…” The article describes a controlled release of a chemical (lampricide). The management of this release, including the water-use advisory and subsequent monitoring to ensure concentrations fall below “state health thresholds,” is an action directly related to managing chemical inputs into a water body to protect public health.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

   The article implies several indicators that can be used to measure the implementation and effectiveness of the actions described:

   • Indicator for Target 15.8: The implementation of the “lampricide treatment” itself serves as an indicator of action being taken to control an invasive species. The article specifies the scope of the treatment (“approximately 8.4 miles of the Boquet River system”), which is a quantifiable measure of the management effort.
   • Indicator for Target 6.3: The article explicitly mentions an indicator for water safety and quality management: “monitoring data confirms that lampricide concentrations no longer exceed state health thresholds.” This is a direct, measurable indicator used to determine when the water is safe again for public use, demonstrating management of chemical pollution.
   • Indicator for Targets 14.2 and 14.4: While the article does not provide data, it implies an indicator for ecosystem health. The stated reason for the treatment is that sea lamprey have “significantly impacted native fish populations.” Therefore, a long-term indicator of success for this program would be the reduction in the sea lamprey population and a corresponding recovery in the populations of native fish, which would signify progress toward a healthier, more resilient ecosystem.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Summary

Source: adirondackexplorer.org