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Crescent Lake Hosts Annual Meeting

July 15, 2010 - CASCO -- It takes "dedicated friends and neighbors who are willing to volunteer and roll up their sleeves" and join in the fight to save their beloved lake from invasive aquatic plants and other potential hazards such as phosphorus, President Bev White told the attendees at the Crescent Lake Watershed Association's annual meeting at Camp Laurel South here, Saturday morning.


Pointing out that Crescent Lake has been identified by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection as a "Lake at Risk," White said, "We need to spread the word that help is needed for our lake, to get the job done!"


"This is the year we want to draw attention to volunteering in lake monitoring and invasive plant control and also for neighbors contacting neighbors," White told the 75 attendees. "We all are fortunate there are dedicated friends and neighbors that have rolled up their sleeves and say, ''We don't want to continue our lake as one of the lakes that has been identified by the State of Maine as a Lake at Risk! We want a body of water that has excellent water quality.' It takes working and caring for the health of the lake to make that happen!"


"In representing the CLWA today, I want to extend a challenge to all our lake owners," White said. "At this time next year, at our annual meeting in July 2011, I challenge you to contact your Crescent Lake neighbors, and invite them to join our CWLA membership, call one of our board members and ask how you can help to maintain good water quality, and work with your CLWA leadership team in ridding invasive plants, become a member of LakeSmart or join a (Crescent Lake) road association. Be involved in taking our Crescent Lake off the State of Maine's list of Lakes at Risk! Our lake is too valuable to overlook maintaining the water quality. We are asking you to roll up your sleeves and join other neighbors on the lake in the preservation of Crescent Lake for our children and grandchildren. Let us all work together! You will not regret becoming involved."



White said further, "There are 12 members of the board, 65 members of Crescent Lake Watershed Association, 98 e-mail contacts and a CLWA Web site. We have approved our by-laws, evaluated 18 properties within the DEP's LakeSmart program, with 11 properties given the LakeSmart Award. Five property owners attended an Invasive Plant Patrol workshop, and additional monitoring at the public boat launch (on Route 85) was funded by our Association. The CLWA has applied for a Clean Water Act 319 grant for funding to support storm runoff remediation projects. We will learn later this month if the CLWA was accepted into the program. For the past two years, over 300 families received a CLWA newsletter in the spring."


The late Harold Hafner honored


The CLWA honored the late Harold Hafner, who passed away last winter, for his 30 plus years of stewardship on his beloved Crescent Lake.


"Caring for the lake and management of the family property on Hancock Road has been a task for three generations of the Hafner family," said White, prior to presenting a memorial plaque to Harold Hafner's widow, Jeannette. "It is a privilege today to honor a man who summered on Crescent for over 30 years and which has been a summer playground for his children and grandchildren. Harold Hafner passed away this past winter, leaving many memories for his children and grandchildren. His friends and family chose to set up a memorial fund to donate to the Crescent Lake Watershed Association, in Harold's memory. The amount of $640 was presented to Crescent Lake for the continuance of caring for our lake . . . Much appreciation is extended to their family and friends who have demonstrated generosity through their donation for the love of a special place called Crescent Lake Watershed. To all the Hafner family and friends, thank you for your continued caring of Crescent Lake . . . the Crescent Lake neighbors give you a heartfelt wish that more generations of Hafners continue the tradition of caring for this beautiful lake in Maine."


The state of Crescent Lake


CLWA Environmental Coordinator Elden Lingwood reported on the "State of the Lake," at Saturday morning's annual meeting.


"2009 was a difficult year for our lake," Lingwood said.


Sadly, Lingwood called the clarity reading of the water in Crescent Lake of 5.6 meters "a bit troubling," saying, "That's the lowest reading we've had, since 1993."


However, Lingwood said he is "not too concerned" by the low clarity reading, due to the fact that heavy rains and an early spring typically bring "less water quality."


Lingwood said the oxygen levels in Crescent Lake have "bounced back" and are now "good."


On the other hand, phosphorus readings in Crescent Lake are of concern, Lingwood said, calling them "somewhat troubling."


"The average (phosphorus level) is nine parts per million (in Crescent Lake)," said Lingwood, "while the historic average established by the DEP is six parts per million."


"We had an early ice out," Lingwood stated. "The surface water temperature of Crescent Lake last week was 82 degrees (Farenheit), and I've never seen it that high before mid-August. so, you might expect to see some algae blooms. Phosphorus is a leading contributor to algae blooms, which we don't want."


Lingwood urged everyone in attendance Saturday morning to tell their neighbors about the DEP's LakeSmart Program and to urge them to become involved.


LakeSmart, according to the DEP, "is an educational program that offers free opportunities for homeowners to learn how to manage their home and yard to protect the water quality of their lake. The goal of LakeSmart is to change the increasingly common suburban landscaping practices around lakes to more natural, lake-friendly environments. The primary focus of LakeSmart is to keep our lake water clean by stabilizing eroding areas, reducing the use of chemicals, diverting rainwater into vegetated areas and minimizing lawns and other imprevious areas."


"We have a great lake," said Lingwood. "Let's just keep it as good as it is."


Guest speaker


Guest speaker Noralee Raymond, executive director of the Raymond Waterways Protective Association, told the CLWA annual meeting attendees about the services offered and projects undertaken by her organization.


Raymond said the RWPA monitors and publishes water quality trends for all Raymond's lakes, including Crescent Lake, has a trained technical staff and maintains a ranger program.


The RWPA also offers education and prevention on milfoil and other invasive aquatic plants; performs watershed stewardship by conducting watershed surveys and implementing lake protection projects to document and control erosion and polluted runoff; provides technical support to towns, lake associations and individual landowners on all watershed issues; pursues state, federal and foundation grant opportunities for watershed and milfoil protection; offers education and outreach; and trains and coordinates volunteers who monitor lake water quality on all lakes and ponds and publishes water quality monitoring data.


As for fighting invasive aquatic plants, such as milfoil and hydrilla, Raymond said, "Prevention is the key."


Urging those present July 10 to take part in Invasive Plant Patrol training, Raymond stated, "We need more eyes. The more eyes you have, the better off your lake will be. Panther Pond (in Raymond) now has about 15 poeple who are trained to recognize invasive aquatic plants. In an ideal world, I'd like to see the same situation on Crescent Lake, because the more eyes out there, the better."



by Lisa Williams Ackley, Bridgton News, July 15, 2010

Lakes: Crescent Lake
Regions: Sebago


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