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June 2021 Newsletter from the 30 Mile River Watershed Association
Photo credit: Michael O'Malley
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Water Quality Monitoring Season Kick Off! | |
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Since 2016, 30 Mile staff and volunteers have annually monitored six lakes and ponds: Basin, David, Lovejoy, Minnehonk, Parker, and Pocasset. This year, we have added two more lakes to the program – Androscoggin and Flying– monitoring a total of eight lakes on a bi-weekly rotation, May through September. Photo right: Our new Program Manager, Whitney Baker, monitoring Parker Pond in this June.
What do we monitor?
Roughly every two weeks, we record water clarity and a dissolved oxygen & temperature profile for each lake. Water clarity (a.k.a. Secchi disk transparency) is a quick and simple method used to indirectly assess the concentration of algae in lakes. To measure water clarity, a black and white disk is lowered in the water and the reading is taken at the depth at which it is no longer visible.
Dissolved Oxygen (DO) is essential for fish habitat and other aquatic life in the lake. Reduced concentrations of DO over time in the deep waters of a lake may indicate a stressed ecosystem.
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Once a month, 30 Mile collects water samples and analyzes them for Phosphorus and Chlorophyll. Phosphorus is the nutrient that most influences the growth of algae in lakes. Phosphorus naturally occurs in soil, but is also found in fertilizers, septic systems, and animal waste, among other sources. Chlorophyll is a pigment found in plants and algae. Measuring the concentration of this pigment helps us estimate the algal population in the lake. Photo left: Using a Secchi disk to measure transparency during an algal bloom.
Why do we monitor?
Regular monitoring is a critical step in the development of baseline conditions. Without a strong baseline for any parameter, comparison of data within a single year, between years, or between lakes is not particularly helpful. Additionally, consistent and repeated data collection is essential in determining water quality trends. According to experts at Maine DEP, we need at least 10 years of baseline data before we will meet the minimum data threshold to complete statistical analyses that will identify water quality trends. Thus far, 30 Mile has collected 5 years of data for many of our lakes.
Where does the data go?
Near real-time data for all lakes in our monitoring program (Secchi depth, dissolved oxygen and temperature) can be found online here. At the end of each season, we create a report for each lake summarizing the results. 30 Mile water quality staff are trained by Maine DEP; therefore, our data is submitted and included with the statewide catalog of lake data, and is also used to calculate state-wide trends, climate models, and other research.
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Click here for the 2020 Water Quality Monitoring Reports. | | |
Androscoggin Milfoil Update | |
At the end of May, our new milfoil survey team began the season’s work of looking for invasive variable milfoil on Androscoggin Lake, focusing on the Inner Cove, where we had removed the milfoil last fall. Unfortunately, we found that the plants had grown back and were covering an even larger area than last fall. Most plants were in 3-4 feet of water, with several already growing to within a foot of the surface. Photo right: A single variable milfoil plant with multiple stems, after being removed.
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On June 7th, staff from the DEP joined us and carefully removed all the plants we had found, which filled one-third of a large garbage bag. We are continuing to survey the cove, five days a week, monitoring regrowth and looking for plants in other areas. We have now found milfoil scattered throughout a larger area and in deeper waters. So far, the infestation appears to be small enough that we remain optimistic for a good outcome. Our strategy is to be as thorough and aggressive with our efforts now to prevent its spread and save hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars in future years. Photo left: Our milfoil survey team staff members Silas Mohlar and Gus Cooke surveying the Inner Cove.
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Yellow DEP buoys that say “Avoid Milfoil Area” mark the outside edge of the area where plants have been found. Please do not enter this area. Boat props and fishing lures can fragment the plants, causing them to spread into other parts of the lake. Photo right: Milfoil survey staff member Maggie Stokes.
To learn more, please join our community meeting tonight (sign-up info below). To volunteer, please contact Lidie at lidie@30mileriver.org.
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Upcoming Androscoggin Milfoil Events & Trainings
Tonight, Thursday, June 17th, 6:30 PM | Community Meeting: Variable Water-Milfoil in Androscoggin Lake
Join our community meeting where we will discuss both the current status of the infestation and plans for the summer. This event will be held via Zoom. Please register in advance here.
Wednesday, June 23rd, 8:30 AM | Androscoggin Lake Invasive Plant Patrol training for new volunteers
Contact Buddy Cummings at (207) 320-5720 to sign up.
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The boating season is off to a busy start and our courtesy boat inspectors (CBIs) began staffing four public launches in our watershed (Androscoggin, Flying, Minnehonk and Parker) the last week of May. This year is our biggest crew ever - 11 paid staff - and we’ve increased our boat inspection coverage 60% this season, due in large part to the Androscoggin milfoil infestation. Photo right: CBIs Moriah and Bridget Reusch are two of the friendly faces you’ll see at the public boat launches in our watershed.
Please remember: If you are launching your boat and an inspector is not there to check it for you, please do your own thorough inspections - both before entering and after exiting the water - of your boat, trailer and gear to check for any hitchhiking invasive species. This is a critical and easy step that everyone can take to protect our waters.
If you’d like to go even further supporting our effort to fight invasives, consider becoming a volunteer courtesy boat inspector. As there are always times when our paid inspectors aren’t at the launches, volunteers are a vital part of our team, providing even more coverage. Schedules are flexible, you’ll spend time at beautiful locations meeting other people who love the lakes, and make a big difference.
If you’re interested, please contact our CBI Coordinator Frank at frank.s.chin@gmail.com.
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12th Annual Paddle Trek Registration OPEN | |
30 Mile's 12th Annual Paddle Trek will be held on Saturday, July 31st. Join us for all or just a part of this 15-mile guided paddle from Mt. Vernon Village to Wayne Village, traveling along many of the lakes and streams that form the “30 Mile River.”
Register today!
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Enter Today! Summer Photo Contest | Do you take a lot of photos on the lakes, ponds and streams that make up the 30 Mile River Watershed? Share your favorites with us for a chance to win! The categories are: Fun Times, Watershed Wildlife, Flourishing Flora and Spectacular Scenes. Learn more and enter here. | 2020 winning photos. Photographers from left to right: Karen Kurkjian, Ted Becker, Karen Kurkjian, Barbara Chisholm, Christine Merchant, Michael O'Malley, John West & Andy Tolman | |
Welcome to our new Program Manager | |
Whitney Baker, Program Manager
I was born and raised in southern Maine, and like so many Mainers, was lucky enough to grow up exploring the nearby woods and waters. An affinity for nature was instilled in me at an early age by my father, an avid fisherman and outdoorsman. I have many memories of spending time in the woods or on a nearby pond, but my fondest are from the yearly family camping trips on lakes where I spent my time paddling a canoe, swimming, hiking, or fishing from my family’s aluminum boat.
Those times shaped me in more ways than one, most evidently instilling a love for the outdoors and the reason why I chose a career path where my profession could also be my avocation. I have a B.S. in Ecology and Environmental Science and a concentration in Natural Resource Management from the University of Maine. Since 2010, I have worked for the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, FB Environmental Associates, York County Soil & Water Conservation District, and most recently at Ecological Instincts in Manchester, ME where I managed and supported watershed and water quality restoration projects for impaired and threatened lakes throughout Maine.
I am very excited to join the 30 Mile team working to protect water quality by improving watersheds and educating minds. When I am not working for healthy lakes, I enjoy cooking, hiking, snowboarding, and snowshoeing. I currently live near Kingfield where I play in the woods, rivers, and ponds with my own two children, hopefully instilling in them what my dad passed down to me, and nurturing the next generation of nature lovers and guardians.
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Maine Lakes Annual Meeting - June 19th, 9 AM
Register here for the zoom link.
Parker Pond Association Annual Meeting - June 26th, 4:30 PM
United Methodist Church, Vienna
Flying Pond Improvement Association Annual Meeting - July 10th, 6:30 PM
Greater Minnehonk Lake Association Annual Meeting - July 11th, 10 AM,
Mt. Vernon Community Center
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Support 30 Mile! Help us prevent the spread of invasives and protect water quality across the watershed by becoming a monthly donor. | | | | |
