I have been fortunate enough to be able to follow Deborah Kendall (newly hired Mousam Lake Project Coordinator) on several site visits around the lake—one by boat and one by foot. In these outings, I have confirmed for myself the serious erosion issues facing our lake.

After one severe rainstorm, we observed at least 25 sites that exhibited severe erosion of the shoreline beach from runoff. In addition, after another trip by foot, I saw water runoff going directly into the lake due to lack of buffer strips.

You can start by noting after a rainstorm how the water flows on, around and off of your property. If there is a direct runoff path to the lake, you need to divert this water and break down its volume. This can be accomplished by adding mulch and plantings and by putting away the rake and the lawnmower. A natural duff layer and vegetation buffers will allow the nutrients to be absorbed by plant root systems before they can be carried into the lake.

During several inspections for invasive plant species, we noted multiple algae growths, with some areas exhibiting expansive aquatic plant growths. These plant growths would not occur if there were no food for them, so again, stopping the phosphorus intrusion is critical.

Septic systems and soils are also of great concern. The soils around Mousam are extremely porous, so much consideration should be given to septic systems. We will be holding several “septic socials” in the coming year to demonstrate proper procedures for maintaining your septic system along with the “do’s and don’ts” of septic systems.

Here’s what we need to do in a nutshell:

Stop or divert runoff into the lake

Don’t fill in natural depressions on property

Add more vegetation to shoreline

Keep septic systems pumped and functioning properly

Put away rakes and lawnmowers and leave natural cover

Install mulch to a depth of 3 to 4 inches

Mousam Lake needs our help NOW.