NORWAY — Crooked River is one of the major tributaries for Sebago Lake watershed, which is one of the cleanest sources for drinking water in the United States.

Believing the area may be reaching a tipping point due to more development, Jenny O’Connell wants to showcase the unique connection between the water, forest and even the wildlife in producing what O’Connell claims is “one of the top 50 cleanest water drinking supplies in the country.”

O’Connell and three colleagues, including photographer Andy Gagne of Norway, are in the midst of a six-day source-to-the-sea kayak trip to bring attention to the watershed during National Drinking Water Week.

The trek began Sunday at Songo Pond near Bethel and Albany Township. The group will paddle the length of the Crooked River in Oxford County to Sebago Lake, travel along its eastern shore to the Presumpscot River and end in Casco Bay at Mackworth Island.

“The reason we chose this route along the Crooked River is because the forest along the river is what keeps the water in the watershed filtered,” O’Connell said Friday before the trip. “There is a natural filtration system through the roots in the forest in that watershed that keeps the harmful bacteria out of the water.”

“Sebago Lake is one of only about 50 water sources in the U.S. that does not need to be filtered,” she added. “Because we have that natural filtration, the water that ends up in Sebago Lake is clean and pure and only has to go through a few of the steps before it is safe to drink.”

Sebago Lake provides clean drinking water to one in six residents in the state — or about 200,000 households, O’Connell said.

The Crooked River, in parts, flows through the Oxford County towns of Stoneham, Waterford, Norway and Otisfield and Cumberland County towns of  Harrison, Casco and Naples.

The idea for the trip came from Gagne, who has always wanted to travel from source to sea, O’Connell said. The pair have partnered for a few stories in environmental publications. Gagne is an experienced white-water paddler, while this will be O’Connell’s first such trip.

“We are paddling to spread the awareness around the importance of the forest,” O’Connell said. “We’ve seen some more development here in Maine so there are a lot of potential organizations that are working to make sure that we maintain enough forestlands.”

Joining them on the six-day journey are Alex Kerney and Charlotte Nutt, both Maine residents.

Along the way, the group will meet with environmental groups to showcase what is being done to protect the watershed.

In addition to being an important source of fresh water in the watershed, Crooked River in Norway is also a key spawning ground for landlocked salmon. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife calls the Crooked River “the single most important spawning and nursery tributary supporting the wild salmon sport fishery in Sebago Lake.”

The Crooked River provides approximately 38% of the water to Sebago Lake, according to the MDIFW.

The fisheries are an important part of the connected ecosystem that works together to provides drinking water. O’Connell said the group has discussed the importance of the spawning grounds with Maine Regional Fisheries biologist Jim Pellerin.

On the final day of the trek Friday, O’Connell invites the public to join them at 3 p.m. at Presumpscot Falls Park in Falmouth and paddle the final three miles with them to Mackworth Island.

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