Here Comes The Honeywagon..…

“Residential homes introduce new substances to a watershed, many of which degrade water quality. In a developed watershed, water picks up salt, oil, gas and lead from roads; pesticides and fertilizers from home gardens and landscaping; effluent from septic systems; and substances disposed of on the ground by homeowners.

The primary influence on water quality in Maine lakes today is phosphorus. Phosphorus is a fertilizer. It promotes plant growth in lakes, just as it does in home gardens. In lakes, however, the crop is algae rather than garden vegetables. The increased volume of water running off developed land contains much higher amounts of phosphorus than runoff from undisturbed woodland.”

“Every lake can utilize a specific amount of phosphorus without experiencing a significant change in water quality. However, if the amount of phosphorus entering a lake increases above the baseline and remains high over time, the lake will eventually become over-fertilized and produce excessive amounts of algae. Algal blooms turn water green, reduce water transparency, deplete the oxygen supply, and smell terrible. Ultimately, these blooms alter wildlife habitat, impair scenic views, reduce recreational appeal, and lower property values.

How does phosphorus get into lakes? Most phosphorus is carried to lakes by surface water running into the lake after rainfall or snowmelt. Surface water picks up phosphorus from organic and inorganic materials, soil particles, fertilizer, road dust and other materials as it travels over the ground surface. This phosphorus goes directly into the lake unless the water transporting it slows enough to seep into the soil where the phosphorus can be removed. When water seeps into the ground, organic matter and soil particles bind phosphorus and hold it for use by plants.

Groundwater can also transport phosphorus to lakes. The primary sources of phosphorus in groundwater are malfunctioning and poorly-sited septic systems.”

If you have some interesting recollections, pictures, or information that you’d like to share with friends and neighbors, please drop me a line (Paula Rose c/o the MLRA mailing address) or email me at dpssrose@comcast.net.

Thank you!

Scott Cudsworth, of Lakeside Marina in Emery Mills, was kind enough to donate an adult size, large kayak to the MLRA for our raffle. It will be displayed on the front lawn of Lakeside Marina for everyone to see and raffle tickets will also be available for sale at the Marina. For your convenience, we’ve also included a raffle entry form below that you can fill in and mail to the Association if you’d like to participate.

Think of it as buying a scratch ticket where not only do you have a much better chance of winning a fun prize for yourself or a member of your family, but you also get to see the actual results of the money you donated as the YCC continues to work to improve our lake environment. So it’s a win-win situation for all of us, with the added bonus of some great kayaking on the lake if you’re the lucky ticket holder!

As stated on the form below, the drawing will be held at the Annual Meeting on August 7, 2004. Tickets are priced at $10 each, or 3 for $20. If you have any questions or concerns about the raffle that weren’t addressed here, please feel free to contact one of the Board members listed on page one.

Thanks again to everyone at Lakeside Marina for this generous donation, and to all of you for your anticipated support!