YAY! Feds Approve $70K Project

Demonstration Project #319 is officially off the ground. Approved on all levels, it’s a go! Instruction and technical assistance, starting this summer, will be available for the next 18 months. A lot of hard work and patience have preceded this event, but thanks to many enthusiastic members our perseverance has paid off. The following letter, explaining the Project, comes from Cynthia Kuhns of LWRMA.

"As many of you are aware, the Tripp Lake Improvement Association and the Androscoggin Valley Soil and Water Conservation District have received funding from the Federal Clean Water Act to do further nonpoint source pollution work in the Tripp Lake watershed. This funding was awarded in April, based upon the information provided by the watershed survey conducted two years ago and because of the demonstrated dedication of citizen volunteers to work to improve water quality. In the Spring of 1996, 18 volunteers from the Lake Association surveyed the watershed to identify sites of soil erosion and storm- water runoff problems. A total of 87 sites were located. Many of these sites were residential and others were associated with state, local and private roads and driveways and with beaches and boat landings. In a report of the survey findings, recommendations were made for fixing the problems and for preventing future problems. For those of you interested in the details of this report, both the Town and TLIA have copies that can be reviewed."

"The current funding is to be used to implement some of the solutions recommended in the survey report and to provide public education and technical assistance to homeowners in the watershed interested in fixing problems on their property. The funding will be available from now until December, 1999."

Fed Project Includes Technical Assistance

"So what are these problems and how do they affect Tripp Lake? Nonpoint source pollution is the term used for the large number of pollutants that wash off the surface of the land and structures during storms and snowmelt. It cannot be traced to an industry or manufacturing process but is generated by the daily activities of all of us. One of the most common forms of this kind of pollution is plain old everyday soil erosion. Soil erosion comes from all forms of land use. Soil erosion carries sediment and in particular, the nutrient phosphorus, to Maine’s lakes in amounts that many lakes can no longer handle. One result of the excess sediment is a change in the lake bottom allowing more aquatic plants to grow and changing the habitat for many of the critters that live in or on the lake bottom. The excess phosphorus is a fertilizer for both the aquatic plants and for the tiny algae that live in the water. Too much phosphorus can cause the algae to grow out of control and turn an entire lake green and slimy. Preventing soil erosion and surface runoff to lakes in the first place is the best way to prevent future lake water quality problems. The Tripp Lake Demonstration Project will help residents, the Town and road crews learn about methods to prevent these problems."

"The Tripp Lake Demonstration Project consists of the following components and activities:

1. Information and Education. Information about the project and education about preventing erosion and runoff problems will be presented in a number of ways throughout the project: newspaper articles, newsletter articles, direct mailings to residents of the watershed, and public meetings, workshops and tours. A packet of information about handling runoff and preventing erosion will be developed specifically for homeowners. The first of these events will be at TLIA’s Annual Meeting on July 11. A full workshop will be offered the following week or two. Participation in these events by watershed residents is critical to the success of the project. The more people who are aware of the problems and solutions, the better the chances of preventing water quality problems in Tripp Lake.

2. Technical Assistance. Throughout the project, technical assistance will be available to residents and the Town. A homeowner or camp road association who thinks they have a problem and would like advice on how to fix it can request technical assistance. Someone from the project will come out to their property and make recommendations. Most of the solutions to these problems are fairly simple and inexpensive. The more people around the lake who implement theses solutions, the better the chances of maintaining clean water in Tripp Lake.

3. Best Management Practices. Also called Conservation Practices. This part of the project involves choosing typical problem sites and helping to pay for the solutions to be put in place as ‘demonstrations’ of how it can and should be done. Some of these sites will be road related problems and some will be shoreline or residential problems."

Get Involved in Fed Demo Project

"The project will be directed by a ‘steering committee’ (explained in the President’s letter). TLIA has contracted with LWRMA to help carry out their obligations to the project. It is important to mention here that this funding does not come completely free! The federal government requires a demonstration of local commitment to these projects in the form of additional funding from the towns and lake associations involved in the projects and in the form of volunteer time to attend workshops and meetings and assist in the implementation of many of the activities. So get involved!! It is also important to mention here that this project is not just for the shoreland areas. It involves the entire watershed. An erosion problem does not need to be in the shoreland zone to cause problems for the lake. Anyone, anywhere in the watershed is welcome to participate in all aspects of this project. If the past few years is any indication, getting people involved will not be a problem. The residents of the Tripp Lake watershed and the members of TLIA in particular have shown great energy and enthusiasm for working toward protecting the lake. They are to be commended for having put forth the effort thus far to get the funding for this project."

For further information on the project, attend a meeting! The following people can be contacted about the project:

Barbara Shapiro, TLIA President,

782-4260 or 998-4597

Phoebe Hardesty, Andy Valley SWCD, 753-9400(xt.3)

Karen Hahnel, Maine DEP, 287-3901