Ripples From the Reservoir | Early summer
June 9, 2026 | By Sheila Goss
Umiak Outfitters provided canoes and kayaks for clean-up volunteers. Photo by Emma Brownlee
Friends of Waterbury Reservoir were joined by park staff, and volunteers from Darn Tough and Lawson's for a cleanup day on June 4. Photo by Emma Brownlee,
Summer is almost here and the Waterbury Reservoir is beginning to burst with activity! People are swimming, paddling, fishing, and boating, and the wildlife and birds are coming back in great numbers.
Campers have been enjoying the remote sites and the campground at Little River State Park. And over the past month, reservoir users have encountered quite variable weather, including rain, cold, heat, wind, and even a short, intense hailstorm. No matter what the conditions may be, though, there is always something happening at the reservoir.
Meanwhile, Park Ranger Ben Foltin and his crew of floating rangers have been hard at work. On June 4, Foltin and summer park staffer Patrick Voorhis assisted the Friends of Waterbury Reservoir with a clean-up day on the water. Volunteers from Cabot Hosiery Mills/Darn Tough and from Lawson’s Finest Liquids joined us as we collected trash and debris from the reservoir. Thanks to Umiak Outfitters as well for providing canoes and kayaks to those volunteers who needed them for the cleanup. We’re confident that this effort is appreciated by all reservoir users – those with two legs, four legs, wings and fins!
One of the reservoir's parent eagles. Photo by Sheila Goss
Wildlife observations
The reservoir’s resident bald eagles are once again nesting, and there have been two little eaglets seen in the nest, hopping in anticipation of a meal from their parents. Please respect these marvelous birds and give them distance, especially when the eaglets fledge and fly down to the water to feed. These eaglets are a few weeks behind the eaglet at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, where a webcam is set up to follow that eaglet’s growth and development.
The reservoir’s loons have shown no signs of nesting yet this spring. In fact, they have not been seen much at their previous nesting spots. Given the success of loons in Vermont, it is not essential that we have a nesting pair. And, due to their low numbers and activity on the reservoir so far this year, we will not be placing a loon nest raft in the water. We will continue to monitor the loons for the Vermont Center for Ecostudies. It is possible they may decide to nest at a different location. Unfortunately, a natural location is likely to get flooded out by rising water levels.
Photo by Sheila Goss
Photo by Sheila Goss
Beavers have been busy as usual and have built quite a large lodge by Remote Site 20. Please respect the beavers and keep your distance. If you are camping at that site, be sure that any dogs do not get into the lodge, which is adjacent to the trail to the site.
The great blue herons are fishing, geese are parading their goslings, songbirds are singing, sandpipers are everywhere, and the osprey are grabbing some good-sized fish. Turtles, large and small, and very large frogs are showing up on logs and shorelines.
Safety tips
Located around the reservoir, fishing line disposal containers collect used tackle to protect wildlife from ingesting or getting entangled and injured. Photo by Sheila Goss
Some ignore the signs. Please do not use the fishing line bins for trash. Photo by Sheila Goss
Our Fishing Line Recycling program is designed to protect all of these birds and mammals around the reservoir. Please use the bins for any fishing line or tackle you may find and need to discard. As noted on the bins, they are NOT for regular trash. Unfortunately, some people continue to put garbage in them. Please do better!
Swimmers wearing bright caps and using swim buoys are more visible to boaters on the water. Photo by Sheila Goss
Enjoy your time on the reservoir, but please be respectful of other users. And please stay safe, too! Swimmers who use brightly colored swim caps and swim buoys are more visible to boaters, and the use of a Personal Flotation Device when boating greatly increases your chance of survival in an emergency.
Some Sunshine for the Friends
An upcoming event at Lawson’s Finest Liquids in Waitsfield will benefit the Friends of Waterbury Reservoir in our work to improve the Waterbury Reservoir experience for everyone.
During the two weeks from June 16 to 30, any donations made at Lawson's Tap Room in Waitsfield will go to the Friends of Waterbury Reservoir through Lawson’s Sunshine Fund. Customers are directed to donate to the fund in lieu of tips, and the collection supports a different Vermont nonprofit organization every two weeks.
On June 20, from 1 to 4 p.m., Friends of Waterbury Reservoir board members will be at Lawson’s to talk with visitors about our organization. Please consider joining us on the 20th or anytime during June 16-30 to support both the Friends and a generous local business in our community.
Sheila Goss of Stowe is vice president of the nonprofit Friends of Waterbury Reservoir. Say hi if you spot her paddling around the reservoir with her trusty canine companion, Kanootti, and her camera. Learn more about and contact the Friends online at friendsofwaterburyres.org.