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TURNER — The Little Wilson Pond Improvement Association recently honored Lynne Richard and the Lake Auburn Watershed Protection Commission for partnering with its homeowners to improve the water quality in both the pond and Lake Auburn.
Members of the pond association attended the commission’s April meeting to award a Certificate of Appreciation to Richard, its outreach coordinator, who worked directly with the homeowners on the pond.
Richard began advising homeowners about the importance of installing lake friendly plantings that capture runoff. Then the commission worked with the state Department of Environmental Protection and the federal government to obtain funding.
“It was a challenging grant for sure, but it was made easier by meeting and working with the association members, who are engaged, active stewards willing to spend time and money to do what’s right for the pond,” said Richard.
The state Department of Environmental Protection has determined that these projects will have a major impact on reducing erosion into Lake Auburn. The citizens and businesses of Lewiston and Auburn are the real beneficiaries, as Little Wilson Pond is a tributary to Lake Auburn — the source of drinking water for the cities.
From 2015-2017, property owners, the commission and the Town of Turner partnered to reduce runoff from the road and the properties surrounding the pond. Work was completed at 12 locations, including the installation of two culverts, 12 feet in diameter, to manage water flowing into the pond.
These projects cost $156,400, with 60 percent of the funding coming from federal grants. The remaining funds came from property owners and other assistance.
“This is an excellent example of how communities can work together to preserve the natural resources of Maine,” noted Julia Jozwiak, president of the pond association. “While the residents of Little Wilson Pond rely on well water, we know the citizens of Lewiston and Auburn rely on us to help keep their drinking water clean.”
The watershed commission’s role is to protect the quality of the water in Lake Auburn, which avoids the costlier option of installing a filtration system. As a part of these efforts, the water quality in Little Wilson Pond is monitored monthly during the open water season.
The federal funding came from the Clean Water Act, which is administered through the Environmental Protection Agency. Under the provisions of the law, the agency helps state and local governments manage runoff from roadways, called non-source pollution.
PHOTO: A new culvert was installed under Little Wilson Pond Road to reduce runoff into the pond, a tributary to Lake Auburn, the drinking water source for Lewiston and Auburn. (Submitted photo)
