30 Mile River Watershed Association

Programs: Youth conservation corps (ycc) employs local youth to perform erosion control projects for public and private landowners to reduce polluted runoff, filter storm water carrying phosphorus to the lakes, protect water quality and build awareness of lake stewardship. Technical assistance and labor is provided at minimal cost to landowners. In 2017, ycc completed 12 projects, designing and installing 42 best management practices including infiltration steps, meandering paths, vegetated buffers, armored ditches, rain gardens and more.

through outreach and education, we raise community awareness about lake protection. This includes hosting public events such as our annual community social, lectures, workshops, nature cruises and daylong guided paddling trips; delivering watershed education programs in schools, from elementary through college; and communicating through our website, electronic newsletter, social media, and our member groups' newsletters.

water quality monitoring: in 2017, 30mrwa conducted water quality monitoring on ten lakes. Consistent, frequent, and thorough monitoring of key indicators of lake health will better enable us to track changes over time. Data is collected on each lake every two weeks for five months. Measured indicators include clarity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, phosphorus, chlorophyll, ph and conductivity. This program is conducted in partnership with trained volunteers, the maine dep, the maine volunteer lake monitoring program, the university of maine at farmington, and local lake associations.

other programs: courtesy boat inspections: courtesy boat inspectors (cbis) are the first line of defense" against invasive aquatic plants, one of the biggest threats to our lakes. Paid and volunteer cbis staffed four public boat launches to educate boaters and prevent invasive aquatic plants from entering the lakes. In 2017, cbis completed a record 2,140 inspections. Invasive plant patrol: teams of trained volunteers and 30mrwa staff survey the lakes for invasive aquatic plants. As regional coordinator, 30mrwa supports and trains volunteers as we strive towards surveying all our waters. In 2017, 72 volunteers and staff spent 330 hours surveying 10 lakes and ponds. Erosion control: in partnership with the university of maine at farmington, surveyed 93 camp roads to identify and document erosion sites that could harm water quality. In partnership with the maine lakes society and the androscoggin lake improvement corporation, began implementing the lakesmart program on androscoggin lake. Lakesmart is an education and reward program that assists lakefront homeowners in managing their landscapes in ways that protect water quality.