From email written by Maxine Pare, president Sebasticook Lake Association:
Good morning,
The lake draw-down committee met yesterday and it has been decided that the dam gate will be opened on Tuesday, September 7, 2021 to commence the 2021 draw-down.
The draw-down historically has been used to help manage the levels of Phosphorus and algae in the lake, with the intention of improving water quality/clarity.
Donnie Gross and Allan Whitaker are testing the water for clarity with the Secchi Disc every two weeks, which is the usual schedule. The Dissolved Oxygen meter has been sent out for repair/calibration.
Discussion ensued regarding data to make informed decisions regarding draw-down start and length; the Maine DEP and state biologists are stretched thin and personnel in those departments is below normal, causing much delay in reports.
The DEP staff member covering our area came on July 27, 2021 to collect water samples, the results of which are not available due to the staffing challenges.
The decision was made that the Town Manager Jim Ricker, 368.4410 and the Director of Public Works Steve Berry will collect water samples from the discharge flow from the lake weekly and send the samples to a local laboratory for evaluation of Phosphorus levels. Optimal levels are less than 20 micrograms/liter of water, or roughly 20 ppb (parts per billion). These lab results will be used for decision making by members of the draw-down committee and lake association in conjunction with the members of the town’s selectboard to make the optimal decisions regarding the management of the lake water levels/testing.
Discussion ensued regarding safety of the low water levels in winter and the risk of injury to snowmobilers if the rocks present a hazard. It was mentioned that rocks/hazards can be marked.
After much discussion, the majority of the committee (with the exception of two stubborn, staunch supporters of the old DEP regime, Dave Courtemanch, Dave Halliwell and UMO statistician Tom Hannula) voted to close the dam gate after the draw-down is complete (8-9 feet), OR after 12 weeks per the original lake study plan, OR if water quality from the discharge supports closing the gate due to a consistent drop in Phosphorus levels, OR if the rainfall is minimal with other possible situations to be taken into consideration as needed.
The flash boards on the dam and the fish ladder (?) will remain open all winter, and the town manager and director of public works will continue to monitor lake water levels over the winter with input from lake property owners and weathermen…..the option to open and close the dam gate as needed remains as is, weather/temperatures permitted.
Two new committee members, Brian Wilson and Scott Emery proposed having a new lake study conducted to determine what changes have occurred in the lake, as the present plan that is followed is a result of the study
initiated in approximately approximately 40 years ago; what is now going into the lake that was not back then, what is not going into the lake that is now, what improvements have resulted from the Maine Department of Health, USDA and local ordinances imparted onto local residents, what impact has the increase in year-round residents had on the lake quality, etc.
Mr. Emery and Mr. Wilson were asked to take on the responsibility of researching the possibilities of funding and the availability of graduate programs to initiate an action plan, to which they agreed.
I am receptive to new information, new regimes, new eyes on the plan, and all efforts to improve the quality of Sebasticook Lake.
The lake water quality is of primary importance to residents of Newport and surrounding towns.
Safety in/on the water is a priority in all seasons, not just summer.
It is my hope that the focus of the Sebasticook Lake Association and the Draw-down Committee will continue to be improved water quality, vs catering to the requests of out of state fishing clubs for tournaments, and/or businesses looking to capitalize on the lake’s allure and use it to improve their bottom line at the risk of negatively impacting the
lake and its surroundings.
I think a study of the impact on the west branch of the sebasticook river from Newport to Burnham should be done as well. The river is starting to be choked out from much of the algae/discharge coming from the lake. I do not believe a true study of the surrounding water sheds have been considered. With the removal of the Corinna woolen mill, the study by Mr. Emery and Mr. Wilson should be considered on whether or not the lake even needs to be drained every year.
My apologies, the east branch of the sebasticook, not the west branch should be looked at.
The Water Regulation board is recommending that the Newport Town Council engage someone to write a grant for funding to do a new major study of the Sebasticook Lake Watershed. Our previous study was done 20 years ago. If it is successful next year the study would investigate and do testing and provide a report that would specify conditions, reasons for those conditions, and actions to improve conditions. Those actions would likely not occur until 2023.