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Wardens Eye ATV Riding in Sebasticook Lake Bed

November 12, 2007 - NEWPORT -- All-terrain vehicle enthusiasts looking for some good dirty fun should think twice before hitting the mud flats around Sebasticook Lake. Game wardens nabbed four ATV riders who were tearing up the lake bed of the drawn-down lake on Sunday and they plan to continue patrols in the area.

"We're not giving warnings any more," said Sgt. Kevin Adam of the Maine Warden Service. "I've given warnings for three or four years. I'm not anymore."

At least seven ATVs have left the Four Seasons Recreational Trail in recent weeks to ride in the muddy lake bottom that has been exposed since the September draw-down. There was a report of three four-wheelers riding the lake bed on Oct. 14 and a week later wardens charged four riders for operating in the prohibited area.

"I actually posted 'No ATV' signs around the mud flats on Friday," Adam said. "Obviously there were some that still did."

The news was disappointing to Judi Brooks of the Central Maine Trailblazers, a Corinna-based ATV club. Club members were at the lake on Monday installing temporary plastic fencing and signs warning riders of state laws against riding in the lake bed.

"I honestly don't believe these people were down there to ruin the lake," Brooks said. "I just think they were uninformed (that) you can't do that."

Decreasing pollution flowing into the lake, and a yearly practice of drawing the lake down every fall to flush out as much algae as possible, have reduced the algae blooms for which the lake used to be famous.

"They've been doing this about 30 years and it's cleared up the lake," said Larry Ferreli, a lake steward for the Sebasticook Lake Association. But tearing up the soil releases phosphorus and can exacerbate problems with algae bloom.

"The last thing we need is people disturbing the lake bed," Ferreli said.

Brooks, who estimated riders had torn up about two acres of lake bed, said most people from outside the area are unaware of the problems created by disturbing the lake bed. The four riders issued summonses on Sunday were from several areas ranging from Augusta to Hampden. None were from Newport, Adam said.

The illegal riders also endanger the ancient native American fish weir, Adam said. A system of submerged fishing traps, the weir dates back about 6,000 years. On any given weekend day there will be between 60 and 100 ATVs on the trail between Newport and Dover-Foxcroft and only a few ever venture onto the lake bed, Adam said.

"If only two ATVs go out there and raise heck it looks like a lot, but it's a very small percentage" he said. "All it takes is one or two guys a half hour and it looks like there's been 40 ATVs out there."

State law prohibits riders from crossing over any lake, lake bed or bog, Adam said.

"They can't cross a stream unless there's an authorized crossing there, an authorized trail by the Department of Conservation," Adam said.

Fines for violations can range from $100 to $500. Brooks believes riders just need to be educated and that the signs and fencing will keep people off the lake bed. For those who ignore the warnings, Adam will be waiting.

"We're going to have more details through hunting season," he said. "We're going to keep running them until we run out of money."

SOURCE: KENNEBEC JOURNAL

DATE: 10-24-2007


Lakes:
Regions: Bangor


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