A Team Effort to Protect the 30 Mile River Watershed

February 8, 2012

By Barry Matulaitis
Editor
Livermore Falls Advertiser

 FAYETTE – In Fayette and other towns in the 30 Mile River Watershed, the 30 Mile River Watershed Association (30MRWA) has been active since 2008 helping conserve, improve, and protect the rivers, streams, and ponds within the watershed.
The Association’s work focuses on preventing the introduction of invasive species, improving water quality, and promoting responsible and environmentally friendly enjoyment of the water bodies. The 30 Mile River Watershed is a 200-square mile rural region northwest of Augusta encompassing more than 20 lakes and ponds, most forming a chain. The chain runs from Kimball Pond south to Androscoggin Lake, and includes some of the more pristine lakes in Central Maine.

The 30MRWA formed to help the region’s small towns and lake associations protect these natural areas by providing a unified response to the shared threats. It is a public-private collaboration of nine lake associations, six towns, and two local conservation organizations that pool resources to enhance their individual efforts.

“A big priority continues to be preventing the introduction of invasive aquatic plants in our lakes, through both our Courtesy Boat Inspection program and the Invasive Plant Patrol program, where trained volunteers survey the lakes for invasive plant infestations,” said Executive Director Lidie Robbins. “Currently, there are no known infestations in any of our lakes, but the invasives are very nearby in neighboring watersheds. Although both of those programs are successful, there is plenty of room for expansion to improve our chances or both preventing the introduction of invasives and catching any invasives early.”

At a recent Fayette Selectmen’s meeting, 30MRWA representatives gave an overview of how the Association’s presence has benefited area waterways and some of their future goals. This year, they hope to bring back the Youth Conservation Corps program that started in 2010 to directly address problems with erosion and polluted runoff that are damaging water quality, and also to help educate the public about their role in protecting these lakes through the management of their own property.

A total of 21 percent of the 30 Mile River Watershed is in Fayette. Town Manager Mark Robinson said that, as far as anyone can tell, no invasive plant species exist in the town’s water bodies.

“They’re darned hard to get rid of and very expensive to get rid of,” he said. “Very quickly, it can become a very expensive ordeal. If we’re preventing these things by having the 30 Mile River Watershed Association, then the $3,000 we contribute through excise tax is a drop in the bucket.”

The Association’s funding comes “from a mix of sources,” said Robbins, including grants, individual contributions, and its coalition members (lake associations, towns, and conservation organizations). In 2011, the total income was $85,790, and the funding breakdown was as follows:
-In-kind: $2,628
-Coalition members: $14,052
-Contributions: $17,007
-Grants: $52,095

The 30MRWA employs local youth in its Courtesy Boat Inspection program in addition to the Youth Conservation Corps. It also partners with the Mt. Vernon and Fayette elementary schools to help implement Watershed Protection Grants the Association received from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

“Through this program, fourth and fifth grade students will be involved in service projects in the watershed that will protect water quality,” said Robbins. “The Mt. Vernon project entails planting a vegetated buffer along Minnehonk Lake to help prevent the flow of polluted runoff into the lake. The Fayette project involves a woods trail between the school and a stream that flows directly into Echo Lake. The trail improvements will prevent erosion and protect the water quality of Echo Lake.”

Robbins added that erosion results in more phosphorus ending up in the lake, which hurts water quality.

Grant Received

August 2011 

Executive Director Lidie Robbins with Roxanne Quimby and 30 MRWA Board Member Dan Meyer

In August we received a $35,000 grant from the Quimby Family Foundation for general operating support to strengthen our core programs, such as courtesy boat inspections, invasive plant patrols, educational outreach, and erosion control projects. This grant has allowed us to hire additional staff to focus in-part on raising community awareness of the threats to our lakes.