Economic Valuation of Clean Water in the Lake Champlain Basin

The Lake Champlain-Lake George Regional Planning Board (LCLGRPB) has secured funding through the Lake Champlain Basin Program to conduct a comprehensive economic analysis of the Lake Champlain watershed’s natural-capital-dependent sectors. This bi-state, bi-national effort will evaluate the full extent of the watershed, quantifying the economic impact and contribution of key sectors, such as tourism, agriculture, recreation, and municipal water use, to the regional economy.
A central component of the analysis will be a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) assessment for each major sector. This will help to identify vulnerabilities and areas of opportunity related to water quality, ecosystem health, and economic resilience.
To support public understanding and engagement, the project will produce a suite of bi-lingual, stand-alone infographics and outreach materials in both print and digital formats. These will be complemented by an integrated outreach campaign, a project website, an interactive StoryMap, a summary presentation, and a project video, ensuring the findings are accessible to a broad range of audiences, including policymakers, community members, and economic development professionals.
Professional planning staff from the LCLGRPB will lead the project. The completed plan will serve as a vital tool for economic development and water resources entities, offering definitive, data-driven insights into the relationship between the region’s economy and water quality. It will also support broader discussions on the long-term protection and sustainable management of the watershed’s natural resources.

Required Tasks:
Advisory Committee Engagement. Work with LCLGRPB to engage the Advisory Committee and set ongoing meeting dates, project milestones, and expectations for involvement in the planning process. Work with the Advisory Committee to identify methodologies and data sources that will inform the development of the Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP).
QAPP Development. Work with LCLGRPB to complete an approved QAPP for the project, including reference material review and data sourcing, compilation and analysis.
Literature Review. This component of the project will involve a comprehensive review of existing literature and past studies related to the quantification and analysis of the Lake Champlain watershed economy. The objective of the literature review is to construct a coherent narrative of the watershed’s economic history, identify major economic themes and shifts over time, and examine the evolving interdependencies between regional markets and the natural environment.
Analysis of Key Economic Sectors. Determine the appropriate economic sectors related to the natural capital industry and quantify employment numbers, wages, consumer spending/total revenue, and any other factors deemed relevant. Sectors are to be divided into public and private industries and include an analysis of data trends for each sector in the plan.
Quantify Economic Impact. The monetary impacts of a clean watershed are to be measured using various economic data sources at the county and local levels.
SWOT Analyses. Conduct a comprehensive Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis for each sector, addressing both environmental and economic factors. Identify key strengths and weaknesses, opportunities to enhance the sector and its relationship with the natural environment, and potential threats—such as overdevelopment or pollution—that could impact the sector or the natural capital it depends on. Each SWOT analysis will be accompanied by a stand-alone infographic for use beyond the final report.
Outreach Materials. Collaborate with LCLGRPB staff to develop clear, accessible language that distills the major themes of the planning effort into easy-to-understand, bilingual (English and French) infographics and marketing materials. Design attractive, user-friendly content for both print and digital formats, incorporating all required logos and branding. Coordinate and manage printing of all materials.
Develop and implement a targeted digital outreach campaign, including paid advertisements, to distribute key messages to a variety of audiences. Create a project StoryMap and a dedicated web page to be hosted on the LCLGRPB website and other partner sites. Produce a 2-minute project video to support public engagement and promote project visibility across platforms.

Draft Plan. Complete a draft plan to be provided to project partners for comment.
Final Plan. The final plan will consist of two parts:
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Part I – A concise, user-friendly summary that includes an overview of the work completed, key themes from the data, a one-page SWOT analysis for each sector, and major conclusions. Designed for broad accessibility, this version will be printed (100 copies) for distribution to stakeholders.
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Part II – A comprehensive technical appendix containing the full dataset, detailed sector analyses, methodology, and expanded conclusions to support in-depth understanding and future reference.
The final deliverables will also include a summary presentation for use by project partners in outreach and engagement efforts. LCLGRPB welcomes proposals for additional services that may enhance the impact and effectiveness of the project.