Official ice-out for Lake Iroquois was called on March 23, 2025. Official ice out is when all of the surface ice has disappeared. Lake Iroquois ice-out dates for the last 30+ years can be found on our website here. This is also the time for spring turnover. As the ice melts and sinks the surface layers of the lake mix with the lower levels. This replenishes the oxygen levels in the lower parts of the lake which is essential for a healthy aquatic ecosystem. Spring turnover is also an opportune time to sample the lake for nutrient levels. The spring phosphorus samples are used as one of the gauges in determining lake health. Lakes do need some nutrients to support fish, amphibians, and the aquatic plants they need for food and shelter. However, too high a level of nutrients can lead to problems, such as cyanobacteria blooms. We are lucky here at Lake Iroquois that the phosphorus levels in the lake have been significantly decreasing in recent years due to the work of the LIA to reduce nutrient laden runoff from going into the lake and due to the many lakefront property owners who have adopted lake friendly landscaping practices, such as no mow zones, reducing impervious surfaces, mowing less, and creating rain gardens to reduce runoff. Phosphorus levels and other data on the health of Lake Iroquois can be found on the Vermont Inland Lakes Scorecard accessible from our website here.
A special thank you to Jamie Carroll and Chip Wright who annually monitor ice-in and ice-out on Lake Iroquois.
Photo courtesy of Jamie Carroll. Fishing on Lake Iroquois March 22, 2025