SANDY BEACH

Naturally sandy beaches can be found on many private and publicly owned properties along Lake Champlain⁸. These areas see heavy traffic for recreation purposes. Five primary sandy lake shoreline areas in Burlington are North Beach, Leddy Park Beach, Starr Farm Beach, Blanchard Beach, and Lakeside Beach Access. Along the Winooski River, sandy areas can be found on the shoreline, specifically at McKenzie park⁹.

Sandy soils are especially vulnerable to erosion, as they tend to lack the vegetative cover of other soil types ¹⁰. If pollutants are not properly handled before it reaches the sandy soils, this runoff flow can be deposited into the lake, negatively impacting aquatic vegetation and wildlife¹⁰. It is crucial to manage the transition zones between non-sand and sandy soils to prevent unnecessary pollutants and nutrients from degrading the lake ecosystem, increasing algae bloom frequency and decreasing beach aesthetics⁸.