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Apologies! Yesterday's newsletter had the incorrect day for our upcoming open house. It will be held on Sunday, August 10th from 10AM - 12PM.
July 2025 Newsletter from the 30 Mile River Watershed Association
Photo: A scene from the 2024 Paddle Trek captured by Trisha Cheney.
Join us for the 2025 Paddle Trek this weekend, Saturday, July 26th. More information below.
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Open House
Sunday, August 10th from 10AM - 12PM
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Stop by to visit us in our new space in Mt. Vernon Village!
6 Seavey Corner Rd, Mount Vernon, Maine
See what we’ve done in this first phase of our project and learn what’s next. Meet our staff and Board members, check out samples of native and invasive aquatic plants, learn how we monitor water quality, pick up some 30 Mile swag, and more.
A local potter will have items for sale, with all proceeds benefiting 30 Mile.
| | Our new space will allow us to meet the growing need for our programs and services. This location within our watershed saves us travel time, making our work much more efficient. We now have a place to provide training for our staff, meet with volunteers and supporters, and store our equipment. Once we have completed the second phase of the project, rebuilding the rest of the building, we will have a new center for the public to gather for training, workshops, speakers, and events; a water quality lab; and space for our growing staff. | | |
Join us after the Mt Vernon Loop Lap 5K
Sunday, August 10th, 9 AM @ Minnehonk Public Beach
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16th Annual Paddle Trek
Registration closes Thursday, July 24th
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Our 16th Annual Paddle Trek will be held on Saturday, July 26th!
Beginning on Minnehonk Lake at Mt. Vernon’s Town Beach, the trip route continues down through the 30 Mile River Watershed, ending in Wayne Village’s Mill Pond. Participants are welcome to join for all or part of the Trek. Registration and details on the route can be found on our website!
The registration deadline is Thursday, July 24th. We cannot accommodate same-day registration.
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| Thank you to our 2025 Paddle Trek Sponsor! | | Invasive Bladderwort in Tilton Pond | | |
The abundance of the invasive aquatic plant swollen bladderwort in Fayette's Tilton Pond has increased dramatically since it was first discovered in August of 2023. It now compromises pond residents’ ability to enjoy the pond. Large mats have formed on the surface of the pond, causing boating and swimming to be unpleasant or impossible.
Because Tilton Pond is the first water body in the chain of one of the branches that forms the 30 Mile River, the infestation is especially concerning. Tilton lies upstream of many other lakes and ponds in the watershed including David, Parker, Taylor, Echo, Lovejoy, Pocasset and Androscoggin. 30 Mile’s top priority has been to reduce the chance of the plant moving downstream.
As soon as the plant was found, the Fayette Board of Selectmen took immediate action and closed the Tilton Pond boat launch to all but carry-in boats like canoes and kayaks, which are less likely to spread the plant to other water bodies. Like many other aquatic plants, this invasive commonly reproduces by fragmentation, so fragments carried downstream could establish a new population. This in turn threatens local ecosystem dynamics, recreation, and property values. 30 Mile staff have installed and maintained two nets across the stream to catch fragments, and have also completed one of two pond-wide surveys of David Pond planned for this year, working alongside pond association volunteers.
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MDEP) is fully aware of the situation and 30 Mile has been working closely with their biologists since discovery of the plant. 30 Mile staff surveyed Tilton with MDEP as soon as the invasive plant was found two years ago, and have been in contact regularly with Tilton residents, town officials and representatives of the Basin, David and Tilton Pond Association (BDTPA). 30 Mile obtained a permit from the State for removal activities, including volunteer removals. MDEP staff visited the pond in late June and are planning a meeting for the public later this month to discuss the options for controlling the plant and answer any questions.
Historically, Maine has little experience with this bladderwort species – it was put on the invasive species list only in 2023 – but MDEP is experimenting this year with diver-assisted suction harvesting in Mousam Lake and Little Ossipee Lake and is reviewing the progress of those efforts to see if they might be useful in Tilton Pond. It's important to understand that there is no quick and easy fix when dealing with an infestation of a plant largely unknown to Maine that is so well-established. The development of solutions and best management practices takes time and 30 Mile, alongside MDEP and stakeholders, are working hard to maximize the process’ efficiency.
| | Photo: Invasive swollen bladderwort flowering on Tilton Pond in June 2025 by Barbara Chisholm. | | |
Question of the Month:
Why do we need to monitor water quality so often?
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We monitor water quality from May-October on 13 lakes and ponds in the watershed. On nine of those water bodies, we monitor every two weeks. Last season, we completed 115 monitoring trips in the watershed. Collecting this much data is a big effort for our staff and volunteers. Why do we need to collect data this frequently?
Having consistent and repeated data from throughout the season and over a longer period is essential to determine water quality trends of each lake or pond. Regular monitoring is a critical step in the development of baseline conditions. According to experts at Maine DEP, we need at least 10 years of baseline data before we will meet the minimum data threshold to complete statistical analyses that will identify water quality trends.
Lakes’ and ponds’ water quality parameters can fluctuate drastically depending on the time of year. In the spring and fall, water bodies experience lake turnover. During this time, the entire water column experiences mixing and will have similar dissolved oxygen (DO) and temperature readings from the surface down to the bottom. In the summer and winter, they experience stratification. The upper level of the lake does not mix with the lower levels, creating distinct layers and differences in temperature and DO. These readings often gradually shift as their biological productivity increases throughout the seasons. By consistently monitoring every two weeks, we are able to see the whole picture of what’s going on below the surface of our lakes and ponds, instead of just a snapshot of one moment in time, amongst these constantly shifting ecosystems.
All of our data collection helps us understand the patterns of our waters, allowing us to address stressors and declining water quality that arise, such as an algal bloom, and take well-informed and timely action.
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Water Quality Reports Available
Our 2024 water quality reports are live! We updated our report format to share our data more effectively. Water quality monitoring is one of our core programs, and continues to include 13 lakes and ponds to help us identify individual and watershed-wide trends. Water bodies we monitor include Androscoggin, Basin, David, Echo, Flying, Kimball, Hales, Lovejoy, Minnehonk, Parker, Pocasset, Tilton, and Whittier. Visit our Water Quality Monitoring webpage to read your lake’s 2024 monitoring report and see this season’s data. Thank you to all the volunteers who help make this work possible!
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| Share your photos for a chance to win! | | |
Do you enjoy taking photos on the lakes, ponds, and streams that make up the 30 Mile River Watershed?
Share your favorites with us by September 12th for a chance to win in our Annual Photo Contest!
The categories: Lovable Loons, Spectacular Scenes, and Watershed Wildlife (includes fish too, but not loons).
Prizes this year:
- 1st Place - Choose from a t-shirt (many color options) or 30 Mile waterbottle
- 2nd Place - Choose from a 30 Mile hat or 30 Mile camp mug
- 3rd Place - Choose from a 30 Mile mug or a watershed map poster & sticker
Entries may also be featured in our annual watershed calendar or on a watershed puzzle.
| | Reminder: Free Workshop on Septic Systems | | |
August 9th, Leeds
How vulnerable are our lakes and ponds to pollution from septic systems? Join septic experts, lake scientists, and other watershed residents for this FREE event to learn the answer to the above question and more! Open to ALL watershed residents.
Topics Include:
- Septic design & function
- Proper care & maintenance
- Results of local septic vulnerability study
- Impacts to lake water quality
- Q&A session – bring your questions!
Don’t know much about this topic? Visit our Septic System Vulnerability Study page for more information.
To register, please visit our website.
This event is hosted by the Androscoggin Lake Improvement Committee and 30 Mile. Funding for this project, in part, was provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act. The funding is administered by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in partnership with EPA.
| | August Lake Association Meetings | | |
Androscoggin Lake Association (ALIC) Annual Meeting:
Saturday, August 2th, 9:30 AM @ the Ladd Center, Wayne
Kimball Pond Association Annual Meeting:
Saturday, August 2th, 10 AM @ Mill Stream Grange, Vienna
Basin-David-Tilton Ponds Association Annual Meeting:
Saturday, August 2th, 12 PM @ Starling Hall, Fayette
Echo Lake Association Annual Meeting:
Friday, August 8th, 11:30 AM @ Camp Laurel, Mt. Vernon
| | Support 30 Mile! Your gift today will make a difference in protecting our lakes from phosphorus pollution, invasive species, and other threats. Find the giving level that works for you. | | Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! | | | | |
