Rock River Sub-Watershed Assessment 

To build upon the water quality monitoring and best management practice implementation that has occurred in the Rock River watershed, FNLC was awarded a Lake Champlain Basin Program grant in late 2022 to conduct a two-year sub-watershed assessment of the Rock River in Franklin and Highgate. The goal of the study is to determine areas where significant phosphorus and nutrient loading is occurring through collecting water quality samples, discussing agricultural and land management practices and techniques with landowners, and assessing the water quality impacts of small tributaries and drainage ditches within the watershed. The first year of the study will include water quality sampling at 10 locations to gather data that will help us understand where phosphorus and other nutrients are entering the Rock River. The data collected will help streamline our focus for the second year, which includes assessing the impact of small streams, tributaries, and drainage networks within the watershed, along with continuing to collect water quality samples.