Paine Neighborhood/Watchic Lake Watershed Remediation Effort -

Attend Town Meeting 6/18/11 at 9:00am

On June 4th, 2011 at 9:00am at the Kiwanis Clubhouse, the Watchic Lake Association held a meeting for all interested parties involved in a major project of the Association in conjunction with Town leadership, most impacted property owners, and several environmental entities. This watershed issue is both complex and serious with potential negative impact on the entire Watchic watershed if not corrected. Given the spring's rain, it it caused severe nutrient-laden runoffs, flooded leech fields, damaged homeowners' foundations, and may be causing premature failure of septic systems.

Since mid-December we have identified an area of approximately 500 acres on the Route 113 side of the lake, have hired an engineering firm and conducted an aerial survey which allowed us through computer simulation to determine what is causing the issue and, therefore, give us information as to how to remedy it. There continues to be exceptional support from the most impacted landowners which is very wide ranging including active participation and financing. We have also received excellent support from the Town.

On June 4^th at 9:00 a.m. at the Kiwanis Clubhouse the Watchic Lake Association held an important meeting where over 30 individuals assembled to hear Jon Whitten from Terradyn engineering firm lay out a remedial plan to address the watershed runoff problem. Jon Whitten recommended a flood controlled berm (2 1/2 feet high) along the woods line, a directional ditch off the horse farm, and another small berm. All recommendations were to provide as Mr. Whitten stated, " direct, maintained, disciplined outlets". The goal is to have the remediation efforts completed by fall.

When we undertook this project the WLA did so because we viewed it to be of critical importance to the long term health of our lake. We realized that activities on this project had suffered several stops and starts over an eight to ten year period, and we proceeded with no greater than a 40% to 50% belief that we could accomplish what we were seeking to do. We can say today that we are well beyond the point where anybody expected us to be. The appropriation of Town funds to support this remediation effort will be voted on at the Town Meeting on 6/18/11 at 9:00am. It is critical that all voting residents of Standish attend this meeting so that the $15,000 funds can be secured for this remediation. ... by Steve Center.

Watershed Information

"A watershed is the area of land where all of the water that is under it or drains off of it goes into the same place. John Wesley Powell, scientist geographer, put it best when he said that a watershed is:

"that area of land, a bounded hydrologic system, within which all living things are inextricably linked by their common water course and where, as humans settled, simple logic demanded that they become part of a community."

Watersheds come in all shapes and sizes. They cross county, state, and national boundaries. In the continental US, there are 2,110 watersheds; including Hawaii Alaska, and Puerto Rico, there are 2,267 watersheds. For more information on watersheds visit http://water.epa.gov/type/watersheds/whatis.cfm .

WATCHIC LAKE WATERSHED
The Watchic Lake Association (WLA) has a vested interest in the preservation of the watershed around Watchic Lake. The WLA has worked hard to receive grants to improve the watershed and educate lakefront owners on how to maintain and improve lake quality. In 1998, working closely with Maine's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the town of Standish, a Watershed Management Plan was created to continue to improve the water quality and protect the watershed.

Between 2000-2004, the WLA received a 319 grant with the goal of increasing awareness about problems that were impacting the watershed and increasing efforts to promote local stewardship. This was accomplished with technical consultations by the DEP to landowners seeking assistance to decrease the impact of their properties on the watershed. To read the full report of the Watershed project for Watchic Lake visit http://www.gulfofmaine.org/kb/uploads/14097/2000-18%20Watchic%20Lake.pdf

Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District

http://cumberlandswcd.org/