Stream Wise

What is Stream Wise?

Stream Wise is a program that engages streamside property owners in the Lake Champlain basin to enhance and protect vegetated stream buffers, increasing flood resiliency and benefiting water quality and natural habitat.

This program takes steps to support healthy streams and build community resilience that can range from stopping a harmful practice, to doing nothing and letting nature heal with ecological succession; or actively stabilizing soil, planting native species, and other practices to restore natural structures and functions of a riparian ecosystem.

Do you think you have the best buffer in your neighborhood? Is your stream nice and shady? Stream Wise awards and recognizes private landowners that maintain wide buffers of native plants along the sections of the rivers and streams that they own to foster stream health and resiliency throughout the Lake Champlain basin, in rural, suburban, and urban areas.

Get Involved!

Do you live in the Saranac River Watershed?

AWI will be conducting Stream Wise Assessments in the Saranac River watershed. This region covers Saranac Lake, Bloomingdale, Vermontville, Redford, Saranac, and the greater Plattsburgh area.

Explore a map of the region by launching the interactive map below.

Do you live in the Saranac River Watershed or know someone that does?

If you own streamside property, ask about our free property assessment and awards program. Reach out to an AWI team member to have your stream assessed and see if you are Stream Wise! Please make sure to include Stream Wise in the subject line.

Learn more about the Stream Wise project by following the link below.

 FAQs

  • Get in contact with us by emailing an AWI team member at info@adkwatershed.org and put Stream Wise in the subject line. We will follow up with the next steps!

  • Find your property by using this interactive map of the Lake Champlain Basin.

  • Get in touch! If you don’t live in the Saranac River watershed and still would like to participate, submit an inquiry.

  • We can help! Visit the Stream Wise Page for more information on how you can make changes to your property to improve your buffer and protect clean water.

  • Yes! If your property meets the Stream Wise standards, you will be awarded a certificate for participating in the program.