NORWAY — As part of its ongoing efforts to protect the health of Norway’s lakes, on June 1, 2024, the Lake Association of Norway (LAON) will be surveying the Hobbs Pond watershed with the help of erosion experts. The survey will help identify and prioritize sources of soil erosion and stormwater runoff on developed land in the watershed. The survey could extend beyond June 1 to visit all the developed land in the watershed, and follow-up visits to some properties may be needed afterward for further assessment.

Hobbs Pond is on the State of Maine’s Watch List of Threatened Lakes because of algal events that began in 2021, and water quality tests indicating excess phosphorus in the water. LAON and the Maine DEP have been conducting water quality testing throughout the open water season each year to monitor and trend critical lake health parameters. An assessment of the watershed is needed to help identify where improvements can be made to reverse the trend of increasing phosphorus and declining lake health. Based on the survey, a Watershed-Based Management Plan will be written to help guide water quality protection and improvements in the lake in the coming years. The survey is required in order for the Lake Association of Norway to apply for state and federal grants from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). These funds can provide cost-sharing opportunities to landowners, road associations, and towns to complete improvements for sites identified during the survey. Acquiring grant funding is a two to three-year process that begins with this volunteer-assisted watershed survey.

Residents in the Hobbs Pond watershed will be notified by mail in early May. Participation in the survey is voluntary and landowners do not need to be present to participate. For more information or to become a trained survey volunteer, contact the Lake Association of Norway at email norwaylaon@gmail.com.