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WATERSHED NEWspring 20

o r t l a nd Wa t er D i s t r i c t 2 2 5 Do ug l a ss S t r ee t Po r t l a nd , Ma i ne 0 4 1 0 4 -3 5 5 3 2 0 7 .7 6 1 .8 3 1 0 www.pwd

sebago

LAKE

Once you experience Sebago Lake you

know it truly is one of Maines prizedesources. Its unlike any other laken Maine. Sebago is special, in part,ecause it accommodates so many

uses. It is a recreational destinationor thousands of people each year.ebago is a major resource for shingnd boating, a summer playgroundor seasonal homeowners and summerampers, and a photographers bestriend. Tens of thousands of boats launchn Sebago every summer and countless

ce shermen frequent the lake duringhe winter months. Sebago is oen athe center of events and tournaments.ts a busy lake during all seasons.

Additionally, there are over 2,600 septicystems within 200 feet of the lake.

Despite having so many dierent uses,ebago still manages to provide clean

drinking water to over 200,000 people.

Compared with Others

o how can a lake accommodateecreation and still provide clean, safe

drinking water? If you look at waterupplies across New England and theest of the country, youll quickly seehat Sebago Lake is not the norm. Fornstance, the Quabbin Reservoir in

Massachusetts, which delivers water toGreater Boston, has very strict policies

rohibiting activities that are commonn or around Sebago Lake.

Swimming or contact with the water is

not allowed on the Quabbin Reservoir.Connecticut took this a step further byenacting a law that prohibits swimmingon all of its municipal water supplies.Even here in Maine some municipalwater supplies are protected by legislationthat prohibits many or all recreationalactivities.

Sebagos Natural

AdvantagesRealistically, not all restrictions neededon other water supplies are necessaryon Sebago Lake. Although less than onepercent of the land around Sebago isowned by PWD, a very low percentage byindustry standards, the lake has uniquefeatures that allow it to function as awater supply and multi-use lake. Sebagossize and depth allow contaminants tosettle out, and the land surrounding thelake is largely forested. Greater Portland

and its most developed areas drain awayfrom Sebago toward Casco Bay.

Multiple Barriers of

ProtectionAlong with thesephysicaladvantages, Sebais protected by aseries of barriers a combinationof procedures anstrategies that habeen used for ma

years, some datinback to 1913.For example, PWenforces a two-mno-bodily contaczone and a 3,000

foot no trespassing zone around thewater intakes to help safeguard againcertain threats and contaminants. Somdrinking water reservoirs are less than2-miles across in total, but the two-mzone on Sebago only restricts access t

percent of the lake.CONTINUED ON PAG

oto Credit: James & Christopher Drake

Sharing a Multi-Use Lake BY ROGER PARADIS

PRSTSTD

U.S.POSTAGE

PAID

Permit#7

Portland,ME

2Dr ink ing WaterPr o t ec t i v e Zo n e 3

C o n ser v a t i o nPr o j ec t U p d a t e 5

R esp o n s i b leB o a t i n g a n dF i sh i n g 6

M a k i n g Waves AroundSeb a g o La k e 7

Water Watch

2 3 5 6 7 8Ex t en d t he Lof Your SeptSyst em8

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Many water supply lakes in

the northeast are o limits toboating and swimming. Boatscarry fuel which could spilland contaminate millions ofgallons of water while humancontact can introduce disease-causing organisms (pathogens)which can pass through watertreatment systems. Sebago Lakeaccommodates drinking waterneeds and recreation by keepingthese two uses separated withprotection zones.

Since 1913, bodily contact withintwo miles of the water intakeshas been prohibited by Mainelaw (Private & Special Law 1913,Chapter 157). On the lake thistwo-mile limit is marked bybuoys, and the area is patrolledto ensure the law is respected.

Why two miles? ere is nothingmagic about that distance but

having a long setback distanceis important. Human contactintroduces pathogens includingbacteria, viruses and protozoa.e ability of these organismsto survive in lake water variesbut some can still be infectiousmany months or even years later.e longer they have to travel

through the cold, inhospitable

(to them) lake, the more likelytheyll die before they reach thewater intakes. Disinfection at thetreatment plant does the rest.

Later amendments to the 1913law established a 3000-foot zonelocated inside the two mile limit.Except for Water District sta, notrespassing is allowed inside thiszone. e 3000-foot limit ismarked by buoys or ags during

ice shing season.As with the two-mile limit, thereis nothing magic about 3000 feet.But more is better. If fuel wereto spill into the lake, the fartherit has to travel, the more we canexpect will dilute and evaporate.

ese restricted zones make upless than 10 percent of SebagoLake and is critical to protect thewater supply for one out of sixMaine residents. ese restrictedzones make up less than 10percent of Sebago Lake and arecritical for protecting the water

supply for one out of six Maineresidents.

DITORIAL TEAMhelle Clements, Brie Holme, Paul Hunt

ONTRIBUTORSHolme, Paul Hunt, Kirsten Ness,

er Paradis, Lynne Richard, Chad Thompson,

han Whalen, Betty Williams

Drinking Water ProtectiveZones BY PAUL HUNT

e Sebago Lake Watershed

ws is published by the

tland Water District.

Watershed News is printed withbased inks on 100% recycled paper.

Paul Hunt is the environmeservices manager at thePortland Water District. He be reached at p hunt@pwd

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e Conservation Project, which began last year, continueswith work on several private and public roads. To date thefollowing improvement projects have been accomplished:

Anderson Road improvements include new ditching,culverts, and road grading and material.

Camp Mataponi, Equestrian Center Road

improvements include rehabilitated ditching, a newculvert and three inches of road gravel, crowning andgrading, and a stabilized plunge pool.

Maine Avenue/Sebago Avenue improvements arecompleted and include new road material, re-grading, new ditches, ve new culverts with inlet andoutlet protection, a level lip spreader, anderosion control mix spread on all disturbed soil.

Engineering designs have been completed andconstruction improvements are scheduled to take placethis summer and fall on Burnell Road in Naples, CampO-At-Ka, and Camp Mataponi.

e Casco Bay Youth ConservationCorps is available again this summer to

provide free labor to landowners to helpinstall conservation practices anderosion controls. If you have an erosionproblem on your property and want toschedule a free technical assistance visitor would like to request support fromthe Youth Conservation Corps, contactBetty Williams at CCSWCD.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

BEFORE

Betty Williams is the sproject manager at thCumberland County Sand Water ConservatiDistrict. She can bereached at 892-4700or betty-williams@cumberlandswcd.org

PWD also oversees low impactrecreation activities on land aroundthe lower bay of the lake and regulatesseptic systems located within 200 feetof the lake.

Many Organizations

ContributeMany entities play a big part inlake protection. Sebagos size worksin our favor when dealing with

contaminants but against us whentrying to implement regional protectivegoals. One agency or organizationcant eectively manage a lake of thissize. Multiple groups need to managemultiple uses with a similar goal inmind: protect water quality. Townocials in all the towns around the

lake and the Maine Department ofEnvironmental Protection work withPWD to ensure that local and stateordinances and rules are followed. isis particularly critical in the shorelandzone of the lake. e wardens serviceof the Department of Inland Fisheriesand Wildlife polices boating andshing on the lake and educates aboutinvasive species. Local land truststhat preserve undeveloped land andnongovernmental agencies also play an

important part in lake protection.

Monitoring and

Enforcement are CriticalSebago isnt invincible and no one wantsto see it decline whether you drink fromit, swim in it, sh or boat on it, or live

near it. So continued monitoring oflake and evaluating the eectivenesof the barriers are necessary to protpublic health. As population growsand uses of the lake increase, it isconceivable additional barriers will needed.

In this issue of the Watershed Newswe explain how some of thesebarriers work and what purposethey serve. Fromprotective zoneson the lake toresponsible boating,youll get a feel forthe dierent typesof strategies usedto keep Sebagofunctioning as amulti-use lake.

Sebago Lake ConservationProject UpdateBY BETTY WILLIAMS

AFTER

Roger Paradis is a wresources specialisPortland Water DistHe can be reached arparadis@pwd.org.

The purpose o this project is to signifcantly reduce erosionand export o sediment and phosphorus into Sebago Lake.Conservation practices that reduce erosion and polluted runo

will be installed at 12 road sites or an estimated annual reductiono 68 tons o sediment (48 pounds o phosphorus). Technicalassistance will be provided to landowners to address existingerosion sites.

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astern hemlock

uga canadensis

ze: Large, irregular, pyramidal tree.

n grow up to 80 feet with a 30 foot

read in ideal conditions.

oliage: Small, deep-green needles with a

ose, feathery appearance.

mall, interesting cones.

oil Conditions: Prefers cool, moist,

ell-drained soil.

ght: Sun to shade.

ones: 3-7

sit the Sebago Lake Ecology Center to see

amples of native plants!

native

plant

spotlight

Homeowners Can HelpTop Ten Ways You Can Care For Sebago

1. Plant and maintain a strip of shrubs and plants along theshore to lter runo.

2. Have your septic system pumped out every 3-5 years.

3. Use little to no fertilizer or other chemicals on your lawn.

4. Mulch or plant all exposed soils on your property.

5. Keep trees around your property to reduce rainfall impact andkeep the area cool.

6. Pick up aer your pet. Always.

7. Wash vehicles away from the lake, preferably at a car wash.

8. Use extreme care when fueling boats, lawn equipment, etc.

9. Inspect all boats, prior to launching, for invasive aquaticplant fragments.

10. Visit the Sebago Lake Ecology Center to learn more!

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Sebago Lake is one o the most popular destinations in southern Maine or fshing and recreation. For some anglers,Sebago Lake is most amous or its outstanding coldwater fsheries since it is home to one o only our populations olandlocked Atlantic salmon indigenous to Maine. Whether you are casting a bobber and worm or pan fsh or trollingthe depths or salmon or lake trout, it is important to be sae and responsible.

Responsible Boating and Fishing BY CHAD THOMPSON

Chad Thompson is the soprotection coordinator atPortland Water District. Hbe reached at cthompsonpwd.org.

Rubber baits such as rubber wormjigs, or frog and salamander imita

have been found to be a major cauof trout death. ese baits are oescented to enhance their attractiosh and as a result become ingestelong aer they fall from your hookRubber baits can block the digestitract of sh which can cause deathfrom starvation. Look for alternatthat are biodegradable or made frosh food.

Choose your bait wisely. Use livebait that is native to the waters youare shing. Maine law requires thabait dealers abide by rules designeto protect native aquatic species sobuying bait at a commercial dealethe area you are going to sh helpprevent the introduction of a nonnative species into our water bodiBesides, native bait are preferred bthe native sh.

Dont be a litter-bug. When it comto your worm containers, beverag

bottles and beer cans, and snackwrappers, make sure you secure thin your boat or backpack and dispof them properly. Litter not onlymakes your shing spots unattracbut can be mistaken for food andpose a choking risk to wildlife. Nomention that whatever trash the eat, you end up eating too!

Boating BehaviorFishing and boating oen go hand in

hand, especially on a lake the size ofSebago. Here are some simple measuresyou can take to ensure your impact onthe lake and its sheries are minimized:

Fueling and boat maintenance shouldbe done before you get to the lake.If it must be done on the lake, avoidspilling gas, oil, paint, varnish, or anyother chemicals. Never pour thesechemicals while over the water anddo not top-o fuel tanks, as theoverow valve will likely spew excess

fuel directly into the water. Even ifthese chemicals dont spill directly intothe lake, they oen end up in yourbilge, only to be pumped overboard ata later time.

Check your boat, trailer, outdrive,live-well, and shing gear andremove all aquatic plants or animalsthat may have hitched a ride. Eventiny fragments of invasive plantsor larvae of aquatic organisms can

lead to horrible infestations that canruin your shing enjoyment. It is agood idea to wash your boat, trailer,and all of your shing equipmentbetween shing trips to avoid thetransfer of these organisms betweenbodies of water. In Maine it is illegalto transport plants and other exoticspecies and violators are subject tohey nes.

Obey no wake zones and avoidshallow areas of the lake where yourpropeller can chop up underwatervegetation that many sh species usefor habitat. Follow Maine boatinglaws by maintaining headway speedswithin 200 feet of the shoreline. Boatwakes cause erosion, pollution, anddeterioration of shoreline sh habitat.

Fishing Gear and TacticsYou dont necessarily need a boat tosh, but you will certainly need somegear and bait. While it would be idealfor anglers to carry out everything they

carry to a water body, leaving somethingbehind is sometimes unavoidable.Many of the issues with shing gear andbait occur aer they have been usedor have fallen o your line. Here aresome tips for using the eective andenvironmentally friendly gear and bait:

Use eco-friendly sinkers such as thosemade from tin, bismuth, ceramic, orother non-toxic material. Lost leadsinkers are toxic to aquatic organisms

and oen end up on the lake bottomwhere they are mistaken for foodby animals. A single lead sinker cancause lead poisoning in aquatic birds,like loons, and result in death.

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Whats Making Waves Around Sebago Lake?

Lakes and Loons

Presentationisten to the call of the loon,xamine a loon mount uplose, and see a presentationy a loon expert. Learn thefe history of loons, theiggest threats to their successnd how we can protect theseenizens of the lakes we all

ove.

WHEN: Wednesday, July 14.:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m.

WHERE: Sebago Lakecology Center

egistration required.imit 15.ebagolake@pwd.org.

Loon CountDo you know where Sebagosloons live? Each July, PWDcoordinates Sebago Lakesannual Loon Count for theMaine Audubon Society.We have a dedicated team ofcounters, but there are stillsegments of the lake which

need coverage. If you areinterested in taking on anassigned area contact us atsebagolake@pwd.org.

$500,000 Grant to

Fight MilfoilSeven Maine lakes havebeen awarded $500,000 of

federal money to addressmilfoil, an invasive aquaticplant. e goal of the grantis to prevent, manage,mitigate, research, andpossibly eradicate the milfoilinfestations. On Sebago Lake,Save Sebago Cove, the LakesEnvironmental Association,and PWD will be focusingeorts in Sebago Cove.

Buoy StrobeLights Coming

to Lower Bayis spring the PortlandWater District will beinstalling low light strobes onbuoys in Lower Bay. esestrobes will delineate the notrespassing zone enacted by

the Maine Legislature. estrobes will be activated fromsunset to sunrise.

Sebago to the

Sea Traile Sebago to the SeaCoalition continues to

work toward the goal of acontiguous walking/bikingtrail from East End Beachin Portland to Sebago Lake.e Portland Water Districthas agreed to allow thetrail to cross through theDistricts Sebago Lake LandReserve in Standish. Moredetails are available at www.sebagotothesea.org.

Call for CalendarPhotose sixth Images of SebagoLake Calendar will bepublished in the fall of2010. Were looking forshots of Sebago Lake, takenby amateur or hobbyistphotographers. Well acceptphotos until late August

and the calendars will beavailable sometime aroundanksgiving. Photographerswill receive a copy of thecalendar- free!

For more inormation orto send photos: sebagolake@pwd.org.

BY BRIE HOLME

Brie Holme is a wateresources specialistPortland Water Distr

She can be reached bholme@pwd.org.

Photo Credit: Wendy Rosenburg

Photo Credit: Lisa Adams

Photo Credit: Beth Kus

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A statistical analysis of 35 years

of water quality data from Sebago

Lake reveals that the lakes waterquality is neither declining nor

improving over that time.

e Portland Water District has been monitoring theclarity of Sebago Lake since the mid 1970s. Over time,methods and sample locations have changed making itdicult to compare old and new data directly. Becauseof changes in testing methods and sampling locations,there are two distinctly dierent data sets for Sebago

Lake - from 1976 to 1989 and from 1990 to present.

Most lakes experience cyclical changes in water quality.erefore the longer the period of record, the moremeaning the data has for historical context. at is whya newly released report links the two data sets. rougha series of statistical tests and side-by-side comparisons,results of the combined data sets for the Lower Bay ofSebago Lake show that the phosphorous, algae, andtransparency measurements from 1990 to present are

not statistically dierent from those taken between 1976to 1989. e overall trend of the combined data sets isneutral.

is is good news as it suggests the trend towardlower clarity over the last 18 years does not represent asignicant trend when measured over the past 35 years.Overall, there are periods of improvement and declinebut the lake water quality from 1990-present is similar towhat it was from 1976-1989.

Continued monitoring is key tounderstanding lake dynamics andprotecting this valuable resource.For details about this comparison,visit us at www.pwd.org.

is year, PWD will be doing anarcheological study of the SebagoLake sediments. e goal is tounderstand water quality conditionsover the past 300 years. Resultswill be posted online whenavailable.

BY NATE WHALEN

Nate Whalen is a water resources specialistat the Portland Water District.

He can be reached at nwhalen@pwd.org.

Sebagos Water Quality Stable Since Mid-70s

This chart shows the combination of two dierent data sets. Through a series of statisticaladjustments, the data can be combined. The overall combined trend is neutral.

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Extend The Life of YourSeptic System BY KIRSTEN NESS

What is a Septic System?Septic systems are used in rural, non-sewered areas to treat wastewater

onsite and return it to the groundwater. A septic system consists of a septictank and a leacheld. Solids collect in the tank and are broken down bybenecial bacteria that live there. e liquid waste ows to the leacheldwhere it is slowly released into and ltered by the soil.

Proper maintenance of your septic system is key to its function andlongevity; it saves you money and helps protect the environment.A malfunctioning septic system can contribute pathogen-ladenwastewater to lakes, streams, and groundwater.

DOs: Do know the location of your septic

tank and leacheld.

Do use water eciently to reducethe amount entering your septicsystem.

Do have your septic tank pumpedregularly (every 3-5 years,depending on use).

Do restrict the use of a garbagedisposal because food waste is noteasily broken down by the bacteriain the system.

Do plant only grass over your septicsystem. Tree and shrub roots candamage pipes in the leacheld.

Do keep roof drains and sumppump drains away from yourleacheld. Excess water overyour leacheld can cause it tomalfunction.

DONTs: Dont drive or park vehicles on your

septic system unless it is designed tohandle the weight of vehicles.

Dont dump large amountsof household chemicals, includingcleaners and paints, down the drain.ese chemicals can kill thebenecial bacteria that treat waste inyour septic tank.

Dont drain your pool or hot tubinto your septic system. Doing socan overload your leacheld andcause it to malfunction.

Dont ush non-biodegradableproducts into your system.Examples include: cigarette butts,cotton swabs, cat box litter, cleaningwipes, etc.

Dont ush medications down thetoilet. Septic systems are notdesigned to treat pharmaceuticals.

Dont attempt to x your septicsystem yourself. Hire anexperienced contractor to x

any problems.

SIGNS OF FAILURE: Sewage backing up into toilets, tubs,

and sinks.

Slowly draining xtures. Pooling water or muddy soil over

your system.

Raw sewage smells.

Kirsten Ness is a waterresources specialist at the

Portland Water District.She can be reached at

kness@pwd.org.