WILTON — The Friends of Wilson Lake, in partnership with the town of Wilton, is conducting a watershed survey of the developed land area within the Wilson Lake, Varnum Pond and Pease Pond watersheds as part of a long-term effort to protect and improve the water quality of these lakes.

The purpose of the survey, set for Thursday and Friday, Sept. 26 and 27, is to document sources of non-point source pollution within the watershed with a focus on developed land, such as shoreline properties, roads, stream crossings, agricultural land and commercial properties, which have the greatest potential to impact water quality. The survey will document soil erosion which results in the delivery of excess nutrients to the lakes, which can result in algal blooms. These blooms can be harmful to people, fish and other wildlife.

The current survey is an update to the 2016 watershed survey, and will allow FOWL and watershed towns to be eligible for future state and federal watershed restoration and clean drinking water grants. The goals of the survey are to document sites that may be contributing to changes in water quality, and to provide interested landowners with solutions for addressing these sources of pollution.

Trained watershed experts will lead the survey with the help of local volunteers by surveying the developed areas of the watershed by vehicle and on foot. Locally led shoreline surveys such as this have been used successfully throughout the state to protect and restore the water quality of Maine lakes.

Wilson Lake, Varnum Pond and Pease Pond are all located in Wilton and drain to Wilson Stream, which flows to the Sandy River, which flows to the Kennebec River, which eventually flows to the Atlantic Ocean. The Wilson Lake watershed covers 27 square miles, Varnum Pond watershed is 4.1 square miles, and the Pease Pond watershed is 2.4 square miles.

The survey is being led by Ecological Instincts, which serves as the technical consultant for FOWL. Project support is provided by Wilton, Spruce Mt. High School, the Maine Drinking Water Program, and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

For more information, call Robert Rogers at 207-779-0660.

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