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McWain Pond Association Receives $42,000 to Control Erosion

August 29, 2007 - Waterford -- McWain Pond Association received a $42,000 grant through the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to control erosion.

Work on the two-year project begins in April 2008.

Earlier this year, the McWain Pond Association completed a survey of the 3.9 square-mile McWain Pond watershed. A watershed is all that land that drains to a lake via brooks, groundwater, seeps and springs. Community volunteers, with guidance from technical experts, combed the watershed to document sources of erosion. The watershed survey disclosed 95 sites (counting camp roads, ditches, driveways, parking areas and residences) that erode into the pond or its tributaries.

"We're very pleased to see this grant," said Tony Butterall, president of MPA. "With the help of the town and property owners we hope to fix all 95 sites."

Soil erosion is the chief pollutant fouling Maine lakes. Soil particles that washed from the land carry phosphorus. If too much phosphorus enters a lake the result can be an explosion of algae because phosphorus fertilizes algae growth. These algae blooms ruin swimming, fishing, boating and depress shoreline property values.

Rapid development in a lake watershed often leads to increased soil erosion. For this reason the Maine Department of Environmental Protection placed McWain Pond on his list of endangered water bodies.

The grant allows MPA to share the cost, on a 50-50 basis, of fixing erosion sites with the town, businesses and landowners. When needed, the grant will pay and engineer to design erosion control solutions for sites that were found in the watershed survey to significantly reduce soil runoff into McWain Pond.

Additionally, MPA, through the grant, will provide techinical assistance to homeowners who seek advice about how to reduce erosion from their property.

Project partners include lakes Environmental Association, Town of Waterford, Camp Waziyatah, Birch Rock Camp, Portland Water district, and the Maine DEP. Like the watershed survey that preceded it, this grant is a voluntary, cooperative effort. There is no regulation involved.

This article first appeared in the Bridgton news, August 23, 2007.

Lakes: McWain Pond
Regions: Sebago


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