30 Mile River Watershed Association

TO WORK AS A COMMUNITY FOR CLEAN AND HEALTHY LAKES, PONDS AND STREAMS IN OUR WATERSHED.30 MILE IS COMMITTED TO PROTECTING AND PRESERVING OUR FRAGILE WATERS, AND EDUCATING AND INSPIRING OUR COMMUNITY TO CARE FOR BOTH THE LAND AND WATERS IN OUR WATERSHED.

OUTREACH, EDUCATION AND ACTION: A SIGNIFICANT PART OF OUR WORK INVOLVES THE COMMUNITY BY RAISING AWARENESS AND EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT LAKE PROTECTION AND THE ROLE THEY CAN PLAY. 30 MILE COMMUNICATES THROUGH ELECTRONIC AND PRINT MEDIA, ON-SITE LAKE PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS, MEETINGS, AND IN-PERSON EVENTS, INCLUDING OUR ANNUAL PADDLE TREK, A 15-MILE GUIDED PADDLE WHERE PARTICIPANTS EXPLORE MANY OF THE LAKES, PONDS AND STREAMS IN OUR WATERSHED. A HIGHLIGHT OF 2021 WAS CREATING AND LAUNCHING A NEW WEBSITE TO NOT ONLY EDUCATE VISITORS, BUT ALSO TO INSPIRE ACTION. IN 2021, WE ALSO EXPANDED OUR MONTHLY EMAIL NEWSLETTER AND BECAME MORE ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. 30 MILE IS A REGIONAL LAKESMART HUB SUPPORT CENTER FOR THIS STATEWIDE EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT HELPS LAKEFRONT PROPERTY OWNERS UNDERSTAND HOW THEY MAY BE HARMING THE WATER AND MANAGE THEIR PROPERTIES IN WAYS THAT PROTECT WATER QUALITY. THE PROGRAM IS FREE, NON-REGULATORY, AND VOLUNTARY. 30 MILE HELPS LAKE TEAMS DELIVER LAKESMART EDUCATION PROPERTY-BY-PROPERTY AND SHORE-BY-SHORE, PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR REMEDIATION, AND RECOGNIZING THOSE WHOSE PROPERTIES EARN THE LAKESMART AWARD IN ORDER TO CREATE A CONSERVATION ETHIC ACROSS THE LAKE COMMUNITY. IN 2021, OUR TEAMS COMPLETED 20 PROPERTY EVALUATIONS. 30 MILE EMPLOYS LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS DURING THE SUMMER TO PROTECT WATER QUALITY BY REDUCING SOIL EROSION AND POLLUTED RUNOFF THROUGH COST-SHARE PROJECTS COMPLETED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LANDOWNERS. PROJECT EXAMPLES INCLUDE PLANTING SHORELINE VEGETATION AND STABILIZING ERODING PATHWAYS. ALTHOUGH THIS PROGRAM COULD NOT FULLY RESUME IN 2021 DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, WE CONTINUED TO MEET WITH LANDOWNERS AND DESIGN PROJECTS IN PREPARATION FOR THE 2022 PROJECT SEASON.

COURTESY BOAT INSPECTIONS: COURTESY BOAT INSPECTORS (CBIS) ARE THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE IN PREVENTING INVASIVE SPECIES FOUND HITCHHIKING ON BOATS AND TRAILERS FROM ENTERING OUR LAKES. OUR CBIS WORK AT BOAT LAUNCHES THROUGHOUT THE WATERSHED CONDUCTING INSPECTIONS AND EDUCATING BOATERS ABOUT THE THREAT OF INVASIVES. EVEN THE SMALLEST PIECE OF AN INVASIVE PLANT STUCK TO A PROPELLER OR BOAT TRAILER CAN BE CARRIED TO ANOTHER LAKE AND START AN INFESTATION. 2021 WAS OUR BIGGEST SEASON EVER, IN RESPONSE TO THE INVASIVE MILFOIL FOUND IN ANDROSCOGGIN LAKE IN THE FALL OF 2020. WE DOUBLED OUR HOURS OF STAFFING TO 2,189, CONDUCTING 2,814 INSPECTIONS ON FOUR LAKES AND PONDS. JOINING OUR 10 PAID STAFF, THIS YEARS TEAM OF 11 VOLUNTEERS WAS OUR LARGEST YET.

WATER QUALITY MONITORING: THROUGH OUR MONITORING PROGRAM, WE COLLECT EXTENSIVE DATA TO TRACK THE HEALTH OF OUR LAKES AND PONDS. WE MEASURE WATER CLARITY, TEMPERATURE, DISSOLVED OXYGEN, PHOSPHORUS, AND OTHER INDICATORS OF WATER QUALITY. THIS DATA HELPS US IDENTIFY TRENDS IN DECLINING WATER QUALITY AND ADDRESS AT-RISK AREAS BEFORE ITS TOO LATE. IN 2021, WE EXPANDED THIS PROGRAM BY 33%, ADDING TWO LAKES TO OUR PROGRAM. MONITORING 8 LAKES AND PONDS ON OUR FIVE-MONTH, BI-WEEKLY SCHEDULE, MAY-OCTOBER, WE COMPLETED NEARLY 100 SAMPLING EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. THE PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED BY TRAINED VOLUNTEERS (37 IN 2021), THE MAINE DEP, LAKE STEWARDS OF MAINE AND LOCAL LAKE ASSOCIATIONS.