.: Welcome to Watchic Lake and the Watchic Lake Association

You are among a fortunate few who have the privilege of living on a lake as lovely as Watchic. It is a quiet, small lake, with a country atmosphere. For your information, here are a few statistics about Watchic.

The surface area of the lake is 448 acres (3/4 mile wide, 1½ miles long). The lake is spring fed and has two inlets, Page Brook and Paine Brook. The outlet is Watchic Brook and it empties into the Saco River at the dam end of the lake. There is a public beach - Kiwanis Beach on Route 25.

A dam at the north end of the lake controls the water level of the lake. The dam was constructed in 1850 and was deeded to the Watchic Lake Association by Central Maine Power in 1956. It is voluntarily manned. The dam is opened to lower the water level on October 15 th, and is closed again to raise the water level shortly after ice-out. This helps to avoid shore damage from ice. Depending on rainfall during the season the dam is opened and closed in an attempt to maintain the water level in the lake. All residents share maintenance costs.

The first cottage was built on Watchic Lake in 1900 and there are now approximately 250 properties around the lake, some directly on the waterfront and others with right of ways to access the lake. Each property has its own impact on water quality and maintenance of the lake. Shorefront zoning regulations are in effect on this lake. Please consult Standish Town Hall and/or the Department of Environmental Protection for information on any changes to your property. Expansion, tree removal, and drainage are all closely monitored. Landscaping products that were acceptable in an urban environment may create problems in a shorefront location. Phosphorous from runoff is our worst enemy.

The Watchic Lake Association was formed to take ownership of the dam and to monitor the water quality of our lake. We have volunteer water quality monitors that actively sample the water and submit reports to the Maine Volunteer Monitoring Program. The reporting system makes comparisons to previous year’s quality and points out problems. The information is available at our annual meeting and is published in our Watchic Lake Association newsletter. We invite you to join our efforts to maintain Watchic Lake. Please call Patty Guenthner at 642-1210 for more information and to place your name on the mailing list for the newsletter.

We are privileged to have one or two loon families live with us each year. They usually arrive the day after ice out. They generally nest on one of the islands or in the swamp and parade their chicks for us to enjoy. PLEASE respect their space when boating. They are a source of entertainment and pleasure for all residents.

There are many birds to enjoy around Watchic. You will see Baltimore Orioles, Kingfishers, Cormorants, Chickadees, Titmouse, Grosbeaks, Finch, Woodpeckers, Doves, and many more. Eagles and Osprey have been spotted more frequently.

When boating, please respect the 200-foot offshore distance at any speed other than headway. This helps keep erosion at a minimum and protects our lake. Remember, when skiing and tubing, you must have a spotter onboard in addition to the driver, according to Maine law. And of course, don’t forget your life jacket.

1998 was the year for a watershed survey here on Watchic. The Department of Environmental Protection gave us a grant for the study in November of 1997, and the survey was conducted in May of 1998. Watchic has been on the list of lakes most endangered by development. Run off from roads and other drainage problems contribute greatly to the position in which we find ourselves relative to water quality. A group of dedicated volunteer residents walked the property in our watershed and recorded erosion and run off problems. The information was given to the DEP and Cumberland County Soil and Water for evaluation.

From here we move into a Watershed Management Plan to ensure an upgrade and continued improvement in our water quality.

It is up to all of us to protect this lake. While we own the property currently, we are but stewards for now and the future of the lake is in our hands. We urge you to become actively involved in the Watchic Lake Association to protect our environment, our lake, and your real estate investment. Membership dues are used for the upkeep of the dam, newsletter, publication for education for residents, and watershed management. The annual meeting is the first Saturday after July 4 th each year. Information on the meeting is published in the newsletter.

REMEMBER, WATCHIC LAKE IS FOR EVERYONE

When planning your activities, please remember that Watchic Lake is not only a place for boating, water skiing, and other family fun, but also a place for those who appreciate its quiet and solitude.

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