The Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation
District (SWCD) is partnering with the Moose Pond Association,
Lakes Environmental Association (LEA),
the
Maine Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP), and the Towns of
Bridgton, Denmark, and Sweden
to coordinate a
survey of the
Moose Pond Watershed. The purpose of the survey
is to locate erosion sites and possible sources of sediment
contamination that may be impacting the Pond’s water
quality. The survey findings will be used to make
recommendations for voluntary improvements to address soil
erosion at identified sites.
A lake watershed is the area of land surrounding
a lake that slopes towards the water body where rain and runoff
will drain into the lake. Activities in the watershed that take
place a long distance from the lake can have as much impact on
the water quality as those that occur along the shoreline.
Watershed surveys such as this have
been used successfully throughout Maine to document threats to
water quality. Cumberland County SWCD is not a regulatory
agency, and the information we gather will not be used
for any enforcement purposes or finger pointing. Landowner
participation is purely voluntary. The idea is to give us a
better understanding of the problems facing the Pond, help us work
together to address these problems, and enable us to apply for
grant funds that can be used to fix priority sites.
The survey
was conducted on Saturday, May 8, 2010. Teams of volunteers
surveyed the
watershed to document signs of polluted runoff. Pollution
of particular concern is sediment due to erosion. Sediment
is the top polluter of fresh water in the State of Maine.
The sediment itself can cause issues and it also carries
nutrients which can lead to algal growth and reduce water
clarity.
The project is continuing
throughout the summer of 2010. We anticipate posting
survey results in the fall of 2010. Please contact Heather
True, Project Manager, for more information.
