Erosion Control Funding for Mousam Lake Residents

Funding Available for Residents of the Mousam Lake Watershed

            The Mousam Lake watershed has been the beneficiary of a federal grant awarded through the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and USEPA and administered by the York County Soil and Water Conservation District. There is still money available for Mousam Lake watershed property owners to have erosion control work done during the Summer

2020.

            Individual property owners are eligible to receive up to $200 to offset project material costs. Additionally, labor for these erosion control projects is provided free of charge by the Acton Shapleigh Youth Conservation Corp (ASYCC). Projects that would ideally fit this program might be storm water runoff across patios, stairs, or driveways that runs down and into the lake. Simple solutions are available that can address these problems. It should be remembered that storm water runoff into Mousam Lake can be a serious threat to future water quality. There is no better way to protect property values and enhance the public’s enjoyment of the lake than by protecting water quality. By taking advantage of available grant money and the free labor by the ASYCC, property owners can help protect the lake for a fraction of the cost that a private contractor might charge.

            In  2017 as part of the ongoing effort to protect water quality in Mousam Lake the  watershed was surveyed and erosion problems noted. The results of the watershed survey were documented in the publication, Mousam Lake Watershed Survey. Anyone interested can review this document by going to MRLA website and search under the Educational Resources tab. By searching in Addendum B and also checking the watershed map included in the survey, watershed residents can see if their property was one on which a concerning amount of erosion was noted. If shorefront property owners have noted ongoing erosion or note their property listed in the watershed survey, help and in many cases money is available to address the storm water erosion issues.

            Mousam Lake watershed residents can obtain more information by contacting:

-Mark Phelps, ASYCC Project Coordinator: 207-432-7821 email: eccleader@asycc.com

-Jennifer Harris, grant administrator: 207-324-0888 Ext 208 email: jharris@yorkswcd.org

-David Landry MLRA Director: 207-692-3361  email: david.landry@yahoo.com

            Funding for the Mousam Lake grant is provided in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under Section 319(h) of the Clean Water Act. The funding is administered by the Maine DEP in partnership with the EPA.  The EPA does not endorse any commercial products or services. The grant encourages local organizations, primarily volunteer groups, to work collaboratively in addressing watershed issues.

Resources:

Watershed Report:

 https://mousamlake.org/images/uploads/files/2017MousamLakeWatershedSurveyFinalReport.pdf

Watershed Maps:

 https://mousamlake.org/images/uploads/files/2017MousamLakeWatershedSurveyMaps.pdf

Addendum B: