MLRA Annual Membership Renewal
2025 was a year of growth and change for the Mousam Lake Region Association. The discovery of the invasive bladderwort in 2023 and the efforts that followed to survey, locate, identify, and remove was extremely challenging. The MLRA Board, Dive Team and numerous members continued to put forth a significant amount of time, money, and effort to assess and continue the remediation process. In 2025 we were able, through the efforts of members of the Board, to access additional grant money from the State of Maine to provide funding for a significant amount of the costs incurred to hire a Diver Assisted Suction Harvester (DASH) vendor to assist us with surveying and removal in the spring and fall when the bladderwort was blooming for the 2nd year in a row. While the outlook for total removal of this invasive is unknown at this time, we have already put into place removal plans for this upcoming season, coordinated increased DASH hours with outside services and are beginning the process of obtaining additional state grant funding in 2026 to offset a portion of these costs. See below for some additional exciting details for the 2026 invasive removal!
For almost 70 years, members of the Mousam Lake Region Association have come together in an organized manner to address concerns regarding water quality and use of the lake, and to create a stronger lake community, and it showed in our efforts last year! We remain particularly focused on monitoring and enhancing water quality and educating people about responsible use of the lake as a public recreational area for today and for future generations. With the support of our members, we continue the mission to preserve and protect the natural character of Mousam Lake, Goose Pond, and its surroundings.
Membership dues and donations allow the MLRA to continue to support several long-standing efforts our members have come to expect, while also working behind the scenes with others to protect and improve the Mousam Lake watershed. These efforts include invasive plant removal, support of the MLRA Dive Team, water quality monitoring, invasive plant patrols, Lake Watch patrol, installation and maintenance of lake markers, beach maintenance and cleaning, off-season camp inspections, swim area markers at the beach, the annual July 4th boat parade and kids fishing derby.
The MLRA also assists the efforts of the Acton Shapleigh Youth Conservation Corps (ASYCC) by providing funding to help staff courtesy boat inspectors at the public boat launch and on erosion control projects performed within the watershed.
During the fall of 2025, the MLRA using the funds generously provided by our members, acquired a suction harvester and pontoon boat. This equipment will be put into use in early 2026 with our awesome volunteers,in conjunction with our continued usage of contracted DASH services to continue our bladderwort remediation work. Please be on the lookout for this new equipment and if you are interested in assisting with this effort, please reach out to us via general@mousamlake.org!
In 2024, the MLRA updated our membership platform, moving from an archaic access database to an online platform through Membership Works. This new platform allows each member to access their own account through the primary email we have on file and they can update their own contact information, add associate members, make payments of dues and/or donations, and view payments and acknowledgement letters. The first time accessing the platform will require you to use your email address and to set up a new password by using the forgot password button. Once set up you can then review your contact information and update for anything that is not accurate and change your password (Do not forget to save the changes!). You can also make your dues payment online through the platform.
NOTE: Only the primary address has the ability to make payments. If this needs to be changed, please feel free to update the Primary and Associate members for your account!
Paying online significantly reduces our manual data entry inputs for our membership process. If you prefer to pay by check, you can still use this method and click the pay by check option. This will generate an invoice for you to download and send in along with your check.
Thank you for continuing to support the MLRA and our efforts around the Mousam watershed!!
2025 was a year of growth and change for the Mousam Lake Region Association. The discovery of the invasive bladderwort in 2023 and the efforts that followed to survey, locate, identify, and remove was extremely challenging. The MLRA Board, Dive Team and numerous members continued to put forth a significant amount of time, money, and effort to assess and continue the remediation process. In 2025 we were able, through the efforts of members of the Board, to access additional grant money from the State of Maine to provide funding for a significant amount of the costs incurred to hire a Diver Assisted Suction Harvester (DASH) vendor to assist us with surveying and removal in the spring and fall when the bladderwort was blooming for the 2nd year in a row. While the outlook for total removal of this invasive is unknown at this time, we have already put into place removal plans for this upcoming season, coordinated increased DASH hours with outside services and are beginning the process of obtaining additional state grant funding in 2026 to offset a portion of these costs. See below for some additional exciting details for the 2026 invasive removal!
For almost 70 years, members of the Mousam Lake Region Association have come together in an organized manner to address concerns regarding water quality and use of the lake, and to create a stronger lake community, and it showed in our efforts last year! We remain particularly focused on monitoring and enhancing water quality and educating people about responsible use of the lake as a public recreational area for today and for future generations. With the support of our members, we continue the mission to preserve and protect the natural character of Mousam Lake, Goose Pond, and its surroundings.
Membership dues and donations allow the MLRA to continue to support several long-standing efforts our members have come to expect, while also working behind the scenes with others to protect and improve the Mousam Lake watershed. These efforts include invasive plant removal, support of the MLRA Dive Team, water quality monitoring, invasive plant patrols, Lake Watch patrol, installation and maintenance of lake markers, beach maintenance and cleaning, off-season camp inspections, swim area markers at the beach, the annual July 4th boat parade and kids fishing derby.
The MLRA also assists the efforts of the Acton Shapleigh Youth Conservation Corps (ASYCC) by providing funding to help staff courtesy boat inspectors at the public boat launch and on erosion control projects performed within the watershed.
During the fall of 2025, the MLRA using the funds generously provided by our members, acquired a suction harvester and pontoon boat. This equipment will be put into use in early 2026 with our awesome volunteers,in conjunction with our continued usage of contracted DASH services to continue our bladderwort remediation work. Please be on the lookout for this new equipment and if you are interested in assisting with this effort, please reach out to us via general@mousamlake.org!
In 2024, the MLRA updated our membership platform, moving from an archaic access database to an online platform through Membership Works. This new platform allows each member to access their own account through the primary email we have on file and they can update their own contact information, add associate members, make payments of dues and/or donations, and view payments and acknowledgement letters. The first time accessing the platform will require you to use your email address and to set up a new password by using the forgot password button. Once set up you can then review your contact information and update for anything that is not accurate and change your password (Do not forget to save the changes!). You can also make your dues payment online through the platform.
NOTE: Only the primary address has the ability to make payments. If this needs to be changed, please feel free to update the Primary and Associate members for your account!
Paying online significantly reduces our manual data entry inputs for our membership process. If you prefer to pay by check, you can still use this method and click the pay by check option. This will generate an invoice for you to download and send in along with your check.
Thank you for continuing to support the MLRA and our efforts around the Mousam watershed!!
