OTISFIELD — An erosion control project for Thompson Lake has received more than $61,000 in federal funding to fix sites in Otisfield, conduct workshops and provide grants to landowners.

The Thompson Lake Environmental Association received $61,189 through a grant provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Clean Water Act. The TLEA has already raised $40,976 in matching funds and labor contributions.

“You need to have partners who contribute a lot of matching funds, either by just writing a check or contributing labor and equipment,” said Jeff Stern, a watershed specialist with Fiddlehead Environmental Consulting in Harrison.

Stern said he wrote the grant for the TLEA and submitted it before the June application deadline. He said the town of Otisfield, Jillson Camp Road Association, Silvaqua Owners Association and Cobbs Cove Road Association agreed to contribute to the matching portion of the grant.

A watershed survey conducted last year found 96 erosion sites in Otisfield. Most of the sites were on roads, but some were identified at driveways, residences, paths, beaches and boat access sites.

Water runoff can wash phosphorus into a lake and feed algal blooms, which in turn can inhibit recreational activities and lower property values. Stern said Thompson Lake is not experiencing such problems, but the slow rate at which water in the lake is replenished by incoming sources makes it more vulnerable to phosphorus increases.

“Water quality is very good. It’s one of the cleanest lakes around in Maine for sure,” Stern said. “Of course, TLEA wants to make sure it stays that way.”

Stern said the majority of the federal money will be used to fix road sites. Some will be used for workshops and technical assistance on erosion control, as well as “mini-grants” of up to $300 for landowners to fix erosion sites on their properties.

The lake is nearly 8 miles long and about 100 feet deep. It runs through Oxford, Otisfield, Poland and Casco. Its surface area is 4,225 acres and its watershed is 22,400 acres.

Stern said the association is conducting surveys in pieces due to the large size of the watershed. It is surveying Poland and Casco this year and expects to complete the surveys by looking at the Oxford area next year.

He estimated that the TLEA’s Youth Conservation Corps has fixed six or seven of the sites in Otisfield identified by the study, and landowners may have fixed more individual sites on their properties. 

The two-year grant will begin in April.

mlangeveld@sunjournal.com

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