June 5, 2006

Property owners in lake watersheds who landscape and manage their property in a manner that protects the quality of nearby lakes are eligible to receive a LakeSmart award from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

The LakeSmart awards program is for individuals with an interest in taking action on their own property to assist in protecting lake water quality. The program, started in 2003, is designed to recognize these efforts by providing qualifying landowners with LakeSmart Award Signs and a plaque

In order to qualify for an award the property must meet certain criteria with regard to vegetated buffers, the stability of the shoreline, access roads and pathways. In addition, criteria need to be met with regard to septic systems, structures and recreation areas.

The best way for a landowner to determine what needs to be done in order for his or her property to qualify for an award is to attend a free LakeSmart workshop sponsored by the DEP. Workshops scheduled for this summer are on July 22nd in Otisfield, at the Seeds of Peace Camp, and on August 2nd in Rangeley, at the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust. All landowners are welcome to attend. To register, please contact the Joint Environmental Training Coordinating Committee (JETCC) at: 253-8020. Currently 68 landowners in the state have received a LakeSmart Award. To view a complete listing of these, see the LakeSmart web page at: www.MaineDEP.com.

WE CAN DO IT TOO!

Types of Nonpoint Pollutants and Their Impacts

Pollutant	Nonpoint Source	Impacts
Bacteria	Livestock, pet waste, septic systems, and boat discharge	Introduces disease bearing organisms to surface water and ground water, resulting in shellfish bed closures, swimming restrictions, and contaminated drinking water
Nutrients (phosphates & nitrates)	Fertilizers, livestock, pet waste, septic systems, suburban & urban development, and soil erosion	Promotes algae blooms and aquatic weed growth which can deplete oxygen, increase turbidity, and alter habitat conditions.
Sediment (Soil)	Construction, driveways, ditches, earth removal, dredging, mining, gravel operations, agriculture, road maintenance, and forest operations.	Increases surface water turbidity which in turn reduces plant growth and alters food supplies for aquatic organisms, decreases spawning habitat and cover for fish, interferes with navigation and increases flooding risk.
Toxics & Hazardous Substances	Landfills, junkyards, underground storage tanks, hazardous waste disposal, mining, pesticides and herbicides, auto maintenance, runoff from highways & parking lots, boats and marinas	Accumulates in sediment posing risks to bottom feeding organisms and their predators, contaminates ground and surface drinking water supplies; some contaminants which may be carcinogenic mutagenic and/or teratogenic can bioaccumulate in tissues of fish and other organisms including humans.

This table was adopted from Massachusetts DEP's NPS Fact Sheet #1.

Can individuals make a difference?

You bet. In fact, by making simple changes in our daily lives we can make a tremendous difference in the quality of Maine's water resources. Here are just a few ways you can help:

Soil: Try to keep exposed soil areas to a minimum and seed and mulch disturbed areas as soon as possible (within a week). Properly shaping roads, road ditches and driveways will also help reduce soil erosion. Planting a vegetative buffer down slope of your home and yard can act as a filter to collect and remove sediments and nutrients from stormwater.

Fertilizers: Fertilizers contain nitrates and phosphates which, in abundance, cause algae blooms that can lead to fish kills. Avoid overuse of fertilizers, and do not apply them right before it rains.

Pesticides: Many household products made to exterminate pests are also toxic to humans, pets, wildlife, fish, small aquatic organisms and plants. If at all possible, use natural pest control methods, but when a commercial pesticide is necessary, follow all label directions carefully and never over use.

Household Hazardous Products: Many common household products (paint thinners, moth balls, and drain & oven cleaners, to name a few) contain toxic ingredients. When improperly used or discarded, these products are a threat to public health and the environment. Never pour hazardous products down any drain or toilet. Do not discard with regular household trash. Use natural and less toxic alternatives whenever possible.

Motor Oil: Motor oil contains toxic chemicals that are harmful to humans, pets, wildlife and fish. Never dump used motor oil down a storm drain or on the ground. Recycle all used motor oil by taking it to a service station or local recycling center. (One gallon of oil can contaminate one million gallons of water.)

Pet and Livestock Waste: Animal wastes contain bacteria and viruses that contaminate shellfish and cause the closing of swimming areas. Pet owners should pick up after their pets and dispose of the wastes in the garbage or toilet. Livestock owners should work with their local Soil and Water Conservation District Office to develop a manure management plan.

Septic Systems: An improperly working septic system can contaminate groundwater and create public health problems. Avoid adding unnecessary grease and solids to your septic system. Inspect your septic system annually and pump it out at least every 3 to 5 years.

Boat Discharges: Dumping boat sewage introduces disease-causing bacteria and viruses into the water and adds nitrates and phosphates that can trigger algae blooms. Boat owners should always use marine sanitation devices or pump-out facilities at marinas.

Litter: Place litter, including cigarette butts and fast food containers, in trash receptacles. Never throw anything down storm drains. Recycle as much as possible.

Opening Camp

In order to help protect the natural resources that "camp" represents, it is important to ensure that this yearly procedure is conducted in a manner that minimizes harm to these resources. The following are tips you can use to make the opening of your camp safer for the environment:

- When using cleaning agents, use natural products like baking soda and lemon juice when cleaning and save money while protecting your health and natural resources.

- When using paints and stains, consider using earth tone colors so that buildings and other structures will blend better with the natural shoreline.

- Paint or stain docks away from the lake and allow at least 14 days of drying time before putting them in the water. Make sure to clean brushes, etc. away from the water to prevent materials from washing into the lake.

- DO NOT rake up the duff layer of leaves and pine needles that build up under the trees. These leaves act like a sponge and filter, and help prevent pollutants from getting into the lake. As a cottage owner it is one of the best things you can do to protect lake water quality.

- Check the shoreline and other areas of the property for soil erosion. Stabilize these areas with vegetation or rock riprap. If more than minor maintenance and repair is required, or if structural measures are necessary, contact your local code enforcement officer and the DEP to determine if permits will be needed before doing the work.

- Check your septic system's leachfield for any breakouts and consider having the tank pumped if it has not been pumped in the last 3 years. A properly functioning septic system prevents harmful pollutants from getting into the lake.

- When preparing your boat for another season, make sure to dispose of drained lubricating oils at a recycling facility or bring the oil to your local dealer for disposal. Wash the boat away from the water or at a commercial car wash. Check to make sure that the boat, trailer and other equipment are free of any hitchhiking plants. And tune-up that motor!

With nearly 200,000 recreational boaters and anglers using our waters small individual impacts can lead to larger problems. Consequently small individual changes in practices or routine can lead to great improvements.

The following are some actions we can a take as recreational boaters and anglers to protect our state’s precious water resources:

Use only synthetic biodegradable motor oil in our two cycle outboards. This oil is available at many marinas and discount stores. In addition to protecting water quality, the oil smokes less.

Use care when refueling and use absorbent material to clean up any spills. Inexpensive absorbent pads can be purchased at many marinas.

When upgrading to a new outboard, purchase a 4 stroke or one with direct fuel injection instead of another 2-stroke model. These tend to be more economical on gas and oil and are comparable in price to new 2 strokes.

Take a few minutes to check our boat and trailer for any plant fragments when launching and removing it from freshwater. Two species of invasive plants have already been found in Maine lakes and must be prevented from spreading.

Be sure to purchase your Lake and River Protection Sticker - It's the Law!. All motorized watercraft on inland waters must annually purchase and display the Lake and River Protection Sticker ("Preserve Maine Waters"). Funds from the sale of the sticker go directly to Maine's Invasive Species Program.

Use paddle, wind, mechanical or electric power to propel our watercraft whenever possible. This eliminates unnecessary discharges and may provide a bit of needed exercise as well as peace and quiet

Minimize the wake from our boats when traveling near shoreline areas. This will cut down on shoreline erosion, protecting water quality and shoreline vegetation.

Make sure no litter or wastes are discharged from our boats. These include cigarette butts, fishing line, old fishing lures, food scraps, sewage, etc.

Properly re-cycle old lead sinkers and use only non-toxic sinkers. This will minimize risk to our loons and other water birds

By resolving to do these things, we will be helping to keep Maine’s waters clean so that they can be enjoyed by future generations as we have enjoyed them. May you all have a safe and enjoyable boating season!

FOUND – SUBMERGED KAYAK – CALL 978-346-8867 AND DESCRIBE TO CLAIM.

ICE OUT – MARCH 31st

LOONS ARE NESTING AT CUTTER’S…WATCH FOR BABIES!

Protect the Future of Pleasant Pond

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

JANUARY 2006 – DECEMBER 2006

Name (s):

ADDRESS:	Summer	Winter (if different)

Street
Town & State
Zip
E-Mail

TYPE OF MEMBERSHIP:

Waterfront Property Owner	$20

Non Waterfront Association Member	$10

Please tell us where you would like to see the efforts of the PPC directed:

Ways I would be willing to help:

Comments / Concerns / Suggestions:

www.ppcturner.org

Please return to Penny Appleby~ 379 Pleasant Pond Road, Turner, ME 04282

PLEASANT POND CONSERVANCY

NEWSLETTER

June 2006

Please return to Penny Appleby~ 379 Pleasant Pond Road, Turner, ME 04282