by Daniel Duric, for the Newport Dispatch

NEWPORT — Newport City Elementary School has completed a major green infrastructure project designed to address stormwater runoff and improve water quality in the Lake Memphremagog watershed.

The project, first identified in the 2016 Memphremagog Stormwater Master Plan managed by the Memphremagog Watershed Association, is now known as the Newport City Elementary School Green Schools Initiative. It supports ongoing efforts to meet Lake Memphremagog’s Total Maximum Daily Load requirements for phosphorus reduction and the Tactical Basin Plan workplan for the watershed.

Funded by Vermont through the Green Schools Initiative, the project was managed by Green Print of Chicago, which coordinated design and compliance to meet the state’s 3-acre stormwater requirements for public schools. Engineering design was completed by DuBois & King, with construction by MSI Sitework.

The new infiltration system diverts water from existing catch basins into an R-Tank HD infiltration system, capturing runoff from the campus dirt track, parking lots, rooftops and lawn areas. The green infrastructure will prevent an estimated 2.9 pounds of phosphorus and 592 pounds of sediment per year from entering local waterways.

The school contributed a 10 percent match for the project by investing in environmental education with the Memphremagog Science & Education Center. Newport City Elementary students participated in the Floating Classroom Experience, an immersive citizen science and environmental education program focusing on watershed understanding and human environmental impact.

Through classroom lessons, students explored topographic and land use maps to learn watershed science and examine regional environmental issues. Aboard the Northern Star vessel, they conducted hands-on water monitoring activities, gathering real-time data on Lake Memphremagog’s health.

At MemSEC, students reflected on their findings, learned Leave No Trace principles, and earned official Leave No Trace Awareness Certifications. A team of student science leaders returned to the Northern Star for additional fieldwork to build a comprehensive picture of water quality across the lake.

The project connects infrastructure improvements with community engagement by reducing stormwater pollution and investing in youth education, supporting both clean water goals and the development of future watershed stewards.