Who are the principal organizations with whom our lake association interacts and what is their function in our watershed?
Watershed Friends | “Connected by Water. Protected by Community”
The Watershed Friends (formerly the Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit located in Winthrop, Maine, which focuses on community engagement, conservation, and education to protect the lakes, ponds, and streams in the Cobbossee Watershed from aquatic invasive species (AIS). Watershed Friends is the only entity holding the licenses and certifications required to perform the work of AIS management and mitigation in our watershed. As such, the PPCSLA must raise money each year to pay the WF for services including courtesy boat inspectors (CBI) at our Thorofare Road boat launch, AIS surveys, and removal of AIS form our lake and stream. A critical function of the WF is hiring of, and training of, the courtesy boat inspectors (CBI) that work all the boat ramps around the watershed to prevent the transfer of AIS from one water body to another. The Friends also offer training workshops for lake association volunteer CBIs, AIS surveyors, and in some cases, divers who assist with AIS removal. The WF have roaming survey and mitigation teams working throughout the Cobbosee Watershed and collaborate with volunteers from the various lake associations to combat encroachment of AIS. Aside from contracts for services with the lake associations, the WF is supported in large measure by donations and sponsorships; they conduct fundraising campaigns twice annually by mail and host several fundraising events including a 5K Race on July 4th, and the fabulous Lakeside Libations and Celebration in August. The Director of Conservation is Jennifer Peasnall and the Conservation Programs Manager is Caroline Balano-Stott.
Cobbossee Watershed District (CWD) | CWD Brochure (pdf)
The Cobbossee Watershed District is a quasi-governmental, nonprofit established by the Maine State legislature in the early 1970’s to monitor and address water level management and water quality issues in the Cobbossee Watershed. The CWD staff work closely with state agencies, towns, other nonprofits, and lake associations to address issues such water level management, water quality, technical assistance, camp road erosion, shoreline erosion, assessment of point and non-point sources of pollution, pollution control projects, technical consulting with towns and developers on phosphorus runoff mitigation,and providing assistance with violations of shoreland regulation and zoning laws. CWD staff and citizen volunteers monitor all the lakes and streams in the watershed for clarity (Secchi depth) and water quality (temperature profiles, dissolved oxygen profiles, phosphorus, total chlorophyll, nitrates.) CWD is funded directly by payments from the towns in the watershed as well as by grants and other direct donations. Our primary contact person with the CWD is Wendy Dennis, the staff limnologist. Pleasant Pond has two volunteer water clarity monitors: Mark Fish on Upper Pond and Greg Anderson on the main basin. A third volunteer, Christian Poulin, monitors Horseshoe Pond in the Cobbosseecontee Stream drainage.
The Lake Stewards of Maine is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit which functions to collect, analyze, and archive data and physical attributes of the lakes and streams, water quality and AIS prevalence via data submitted by volunteer monitors, lake associations, and other non-profits. The LSM also offers training workshops and certification for all water quality monitoring and aquatic species identification. Lake associations can take advantage of these workshops to build teams of volunteers who can monitor their lakes for AIS. LSM also co-sponsors the “Lakes Conference” in June each year for all folk interested in conserving our beautiful freshwater lakes and streams. You can sign up to receive email newsletters from the LSM regarding important issues and upcoming events and workshops. The LSM website has a wealth of tools, information, and other resources easily accessed online.
Maine Department of Environmental Protection
“The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is responsible for protecting and restoring Maine’s natural resources and enforcing the state’s environmental laws.” “Legislative mandate directs DEP to prevent, abate and control the pollution of the air, water and land. The charge is to preserve, improve and prevent diminution of the natural environment of the State. The Department is also directed to protect and enhance the public’s right to use and enjoy the State’s natural resources. The Department administers programs, educates and makes regulatory decisions that contribute to the achievement of this mission.” Our lake association’s interaction with the DEP focuses on two areas: First, the DEP provides grant monies to Watershed Friends to help pay for watershed-wide AIS services, particularly CBI, which directly benefits our lake. If herbicide treatments are warranted to remove AIS, DEP directly oversees that process and may provide financial assistance. DEP will also be involved in rapid response actions to stop newly discovered invasives before they can take hold. Second, in instances of shoreland zoning violations, the DEP may get involved depending on the nature of the violation, and may require remediation.