NORWAY – More than 25 people were treated to an evening on Norway Lake Wednesday as they learned how to prevent erosion on their lakefront properties.

Ferg Lea of the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments led the excursion, which included a pontoon boat ride across the lake and a tour of some camps on the Norway Lake Road.

Wendy Garland of the Department of Environmental Protection demonstrated how pollution can be measured in lakes. Once every two weeks, she said, a volunteer lowers a Secchi disk into the deepest spot on the lake. The disk is connected to a cord that measures depth. Using an aquascope, the volunteer watches the disk as it sinks and records the depth at which it is no longer visible.

The average visibility in Maine’s lakes is 16 feet. On Wednesday night, the Secchi disk lowered into Norway Lake was visible at about 18 feet. As an example of how bad lake clarity can get, Lea said that Webber Pond in Vassalboro now has only 3 feet of visibility. “Imagine standing in a lake and not being able to see your feet,” he said.

One of the causes of poor visibility in lakes is algae blooms. Algae forms when phosphorous enters the lake water. Phosphorous is used in many fertilizers and is also present in yard debris and sand.

“It fertilizes the lake just like it fertilizes your lawn,” Lea explained.

The key to keeping phosphorous out of lakes is to prevent erosion near the water. Erosion has been a problem this year because of the heavy rains we received this summer. AVCOG has provided assistance to waterfront properties with help from an Environmental Protection Agency grant. Lea pointed out that some improvements had been made at Pennesseewassee Park.

The park’s winding paths help to slow the movement of rainwater, allowing more of it to be absorbed into the ground before it reaches the lake. Rocks have been placed where streams of water enter the lake. This gives the water another chance to be absorbed and collects any leaves or other debris that would otherwise have been washed into the lake.

The sandy beach has had erosion problems in the past. A berm, or raised area of grass planted over soil and rocks, was placed along the edge of the beach to stop the flow of water into the lake. Lea cautions, though, that homeowners should check with the DEP before landscaping near the waterfront.

After the group crossed the lake, Lea explained ways in which erosion can be controlled on camp roads. He recommends that camp roads be graded every spring. If possible, the road should be crowned so that water will wash off the sides of the road rather than run down it. If the road cannot be made higher in the middle, it should be sloped so that water flows away from the lake.

Razor bar has been installed across the Norway Lake Road in two places. Razor bar is an industrial fabric that can be placed in the road like a dam. Any water running down the road will be redirected by the razor bar into the woods.

Lea pointed out a shallow ditch on the side of the road, saying it’s important to “provide space for the water.” The embankment on the other side of the ditch had been covered with a straw mat to help retain the soil. The embankment ended in a turnout that allows water to flow into the woods. The same phosphorous that causes algae in lakes can be beneficial to wooded areas, Lea explained.

Lea offers free technical assistance to landowners. He can be reached at AVCOG, 783-9186.

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