Togus Pond Development Surveys Lauren Wolpin Development Overview

Togus Pond Development Surveys Lauren Wolpin

Development Overview • Shoreland Zoning Regulations • Wastewater Disposal • Development Survey • Buffer Strip Survey • Roads • Future Development

Mandatory Shoreland Zoning Act • Rural Ponds District • Municipal Ordinances – Setback – Shore frontage – Lot size – Area of impervious surface • Non-conformance

Togus Pond Septic Systems • Shoreland challenges – Water table – Shoreline erosion – Winterization of camps – Grandfathered systems

Togus Pond Septic Systems • Remediation – Water conservation – Regular pumping – Landscape improvements – New construction

Number of Houses Development Survey Location

Buffer Strips

Well-buffered home • Almost full lakeshore coverage • Mix of trees and shrubs • Rip rap • Could be better Poorly-buffered home • • House very close to water Exposed soil No shrubs, few trees Rip rap incomplete

Togus Pond Buffer Strips Buffer Rating Inadequate buffer strips are a problem • Fail • Poor • Fair • Good

Camp Roads • Soil erosion is a major contributor of phosphorus • Proximity to lake is a concern

Maintenance Matters! Well-maintained culvert Poorly-maintained culvert

Berms prevent water from leaving the roadbed

Erosion on Ingraham Mountain Road

Road Survey Results • Poor roads in Northwest corner • Most roads acceptable or good • Culverts most common problem

Steep Driveways • Identified problem driveways • Many lead straight into the lake • Steep slopes lead to erosion • Tasker Road, Hayes Road, Albee Road

Future Development • Land clearing on Young Road • Commercial areas • Golf course • Pipeline and Gerabro Acre Roads

Phosphorus Budget Kara Lanahan

Phosphorus Overview • Background and history • Current nutrient status • Phosphorus budget

Phosphorus Background • Cultural eutrophication • Secchi disk transparency < 2 m • Phosphorus concentration > 15 ppb

Historical Phosphorus

Phosphorus: Results • Mean phosphorus: 28 ppb • Trophic State Index (TSI): 67 – East Pond TSI = 64 – Great Pond TSI = 39

Summer Phosphorus Levels

401 ppb

Phosphorus Budget • What is it? • How is it calculated? • What does it mean in terms of lake health?

Diagram of a phosphorus budget Togus flushing rate = 0. 81

Calculating the budget W = external P load + internal P load W is the annual P load (kg/yr)

Components of the phosphorus budget • Watershed land use – Coefficient – Land area • Septic systems – Soil retention – Occupancy rates • Internal recycling and sediment release – Anoxia – Water quality

Sediment Release

Phosphorus Model Results Total Phosphorus load Total concentration • Best 794 kg P/ year • Best 19 ppb • High 1169 kg P/year • High 28 ppb • Low 392 kg P/year • Low 9 ppb

Percent contribution of all land use types

Total Phosphorus Loading Results • Total external load (direct watershed): 410 kg/yr 1. Forest: 107 kg/yr or 25 -26% of total P load 2. Shoreline septic tanks: 96 kg/yr or 23% 3. Shoreline development: 56 kg/yr or 14% • Sediment release contributed the most phosphorus: 328 kg/yr

What about phosphorus in other Central Maine lakes? P source Togus Pond Threemile Pond Webber Pond 1 Sediment Release Reverting land Sediment Release 2 Forest Sediment Release Agriculture/ Golf course 3 Shoreline septic tanks Transitional Forest Threemile Pond

What needs to change to improve lake health? • Decrease inputs from watershed • Decrease internal loading through remediation

Where will this reduction come from? • Shoreline septic tanks • Minimize shoreline development

Phosphorus Model Conclusions • Most of Togus Pond’s phosphorus comes from internal recycling and sediment release • The external load must be reduced first

In Lake Remediation Wendy Sicard

Nutrient Control Techniques Possible for Togus Pond • Alum Treatment • Biomanipulation • Water Drawdown • Vegetative Mats

Alum Treatment • Aluminum sulfate binds with P • Effective for internal P loading

Alum Treatment • Can last <1 year to 20 years • Costly: average $450 per acre • Testing and monitoring

Manipulation of Fish Stocks • Lower algae by increasing algae- consuming zooplankton • Reduce planktivorous fish or restock piscivorous fish • Comparatively inexpensive

Water Drawdown • Removal of nutrient -rich water • Modification of culvert and dam

Vegetative Mats • Absorb nutrients in contained rafts • Provide cover for zooplankton • Harvest and compost

Solutions for Togus Pond • Stop inflow • Funding • Research of effects • Multi-step approaches

Recommendations Rob Mehlich

Recommendations overview • • • Watershed management In-lake management Monitoring and regulations Community awareness and education Grants and funding

Watershed Management • Buffer strips and erosion – Impervious surfaces – Coverage and depth – Rip rap • Roads – Maintenance – Limited and monitored construction

Watershed Management • Septic systems – Old systems – Pump outs – Upgrades • Land use – Enforcement – Deforestation

In-Lake Management • Implementation of applicable remediation techniques • Continued watershed management • Studies and monitoring of remediation

Monitoring and Regulations • Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program • Worromontogus Lake Association • Wetlands protection

Grants and Funding • Maine Department of Environmental Protection – Nonpoint source water pollution control grants – Small community grant programs • Maine Department of Transportation – Surface Water Quality Protection Program

Community Awareness • Phosphorus free fertilizers • Phosphorus free household detergents

Summary

Summary • Eutrophication • Phosphorus is entering the lake from soil runoff and human uses of the land from sediment in the lake. • This leads to algal blooms and a decrease in water quality.

Summary • Phosphorus that comes from sources outside the lake should be reduced. – Buffer strips – Roads – Septic systems – Detergents, and fertilizers

Summary • Remediation techniques may help reduce the phosphorus that is already stored in the lake sediments. – Alum treatment – Fish stock manipulation – Drawdown – Vegetative mats

Acknowledgements We would like to give our thanks to the people and organizations that generously provided their time, knowledge, and support. Thank you. Roy Bouchard, Maine Department of Environmental Protection Russell Cole, Colby College Paul Connolly, Togus Pond Resident Dennis Curtis, Togus Pond Resident Fred Dillon, Maine Association of Conservation Districts Richard Dolby, Director of Code Enforcement David Firmage, Colby College Roger Gagnon, Togus Pond Resident David Halliwell, Maine Department of Environmental Protection Rebecca Manthy, China Lakes Alliance Jeff Norton, Elma’s Tackle and Hunting Supply Store John Pucciarelli, President of the Worromontogus Pond Association George Soucy, Code Enforcement Officer Nate Sylvester, Lakes Program, Kennebec County Soil and Water Conservation District Dan Tierney, Colby College Bill Woodward, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Bobby Van-Riper, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Augusta Town Office Maine Department of Environmental Protection Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Staff Maine Soil and Water Conservation Staff

Questions