AREA — The annual Androscoggin Watershed Conference is slated for May 13. The conference, while being held in Auburn, will address many topics of importance to the residents and businesses of Oxford County. One topic will be the severe and frequent flooding in Oxford County that has caused some of the highest numbers of emergency declarations in the entire state. Allyson Hill from the Oxford County Emergency Management Agency will discuss the flooding and the mitigation programs that are available through the office.

The conference, presented by The Androscoggin River Watershed Council, will provide information and discussion of many other issues facing the lakes, rivers, and streams in the watershed. Dana Osgood from the News Center Maine meteorological team will be a featured speaker, discussing information from News Center’s series Maine’s Changing Climate. Maggie Kelly-Boyd from the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future will then present highlights from the state plan, Maine Won’t Wait, that addresses how we should be preparing for the future.

Another highlight will be an interactive Stream Table used to help us better understand how rainfall and flooding impact rivers, streams, infrastructure, and wildlife habitat. Sarah Haggerty, from Maine Audubon, will demonstrate how severe storms and flooding damage aquatic habitats and valuable infrastructure. The table is a key component of Audubon’s Stream Smart program that has the dual purpose of improving aquatic habitat while also improving infrastructure resilience.

Other sessions include hazard mitigation, the importance of brook trout to our economy and the environment, fishing guides’ perspectives on angling on the Androscoggin, a review of the 78,000-acre conservation proposal for Northern Oxford County, and a discussion of water quality on the Androscoggin and some tributaries.

The conference is on May 13 from 8:30 to 2:30 at the Auburn Senior Community Center. Registration, available at www.androscogginwatershed.org, is $45 and includes a light morning snack and lunch. For more information, contact Ferg Lea at flea.arwc@gmail.