Scientists say you may notice some changes this summer in Vermont's waterways due to last year's flooding.
Fox44's Louisa Moller headed out on a motorboat Tuesday with Mark Lurvey.
"I think it's going to be a good boating season because everything compared to last year is going to be easy," Lurvey said.
He is partially right. Lake Champlain is back at normal levels, but there are still some lurking dangers.
"There's always debris out there, especially in the spring. You know, all the rivers are dumping into the lake. Until it moves and settles through the summer, it's always a hazard," U.S. Coast Guard member Bryon Kravchuck said.
The debris should be nothing like what we saw last spring or from Tropical Storm Irene, but Kravchuck says it is a good idea to use extra caution.
"Safe speed and keep a sharp lookout for objects," Kravchuck said.
If you plan to go swimming, there are some other things to look out for. The water may look foggy due to a buildup of sediment from last year's flooding. Vermont's Agency of Natural Resources says this is not a health hazard.
However, ANR is also testing for chemicals dumped in the water by the floods. The agency says tests have not revealed anything dangerous so far. But, biologists will continue testing throughout the summer.
There is one more water danger that crops up every year: toxic blue algae. ANR says algae blooms on lakes could be higher this summer because of the extra sediment in the water.
Click here to learn how you can protect yourself.
