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Weekly News & Updates

Inside This Newsletter

June 1, 2026

Quick Links & Reminders

AIS Photo Essay - The Onion Foundation

Water Quality Program

WQ Certification Workshops

Join Us in Millinocket 6/5!

Community WQ Technical Discussion

New Total Phosphorus Requirements

Cyanobacteria Reporting

Aquatic Invasive Species Program 

Upcoming Webinars:

How to Lead a Plant Paddle

Travel Team Orientation

Survey123 for IPPers

Quick Links & Reminders

• DO Meter Inspection — stewards@lakestewardsme.org

(Subject: MeterFest Inspection)

• Recording Available — Invasive Plant Patrol Webinar (IPP 101)

• Grounds & Gratitude — LSM Office (24 Maple Hill Rd, Auburn, ME 04210) June 22, July 20, and August 24 from 9:30 – 11:00 AM.

Registration for the Lake Conference has closed,

as we have reached attendance capacity.

Registered participants will receive an email soon

with event details and additional information.

Preventing the Spread of Invasive Aquatic Plants:

A Photo Essay in Four Phases

~Susan Onion and Ash Holland

The Onion Foundation has been an incredible supporter of lake protection efforts and works with lake organizations across the state. They recently shared a great photo essay highlighting the different phases of preventing the spread of invasive aquatic plants and the important role everyone can play in protecting Maine's lakes. This is a great resource to share with your community.

https://www.onionfoundation.org/posts/preventing-the-spread-of-invasive-aquatic-plants-a-photo-essay

2026 Water Quality Training Schedule and Map 

Space Available in these upcoming Water Quality trainings, and we’d especially love to fill these sessions. We encourage anyone interested to register soon.

• Megunticook Lake on June 4
• Wilson Lake/Acton on June 5

If you’ve been meaning to get certified or recertified, these are great opportunities, and your participation helps make these local trainings possible.

• New water quality monitors should start by contacting us through the website form.
• Current monitors (recertifying or leveling up) should sign up for a session with Jonnie.

Reminder: bring a certified DO meter to any dissolved oxygen session (rentals available through LSM).

View the full schedule, map, and registration details on the LSM website.

Join Us in Millinocket 6/5!

Lake Monitoring & Getting Involved

Have you ever wondered how everyday observers help protect Maine’s lakes?

We invite you to join Lake Stewards of Maine on June 5 from 2:00pm to 3:30pm at the Millinocket Library (5 Maine Ave, Millinocket) for an engaging presentation focused on volunteer lake monitoring and how you can take part.

We’ll explore:

• The vital role volunteers play in tracking and safeguarding water quality
• A brief introduction to the science of limnology
• A look at long-term data collected by volunteers and what it reveals
• Other wonderful ways to get involved, such as surveying for aquatic invasive species and climate change / ice coverage data collection.

Whether you are newly curious or already connected to a lake, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn, ask questions, and meet others who share an interest in Maine’s waters.

We would be delighted to see you there!

Next Community Water Quality Technical Discussions 

 Our next sessions will be held on:

• June 8th at 10:00 AM
• June 19th at 2:00 PM

Cyanobacteria Reporting

The new Maine Cyanobacteria Bloom Reporting Dashboard and Reporting App are now available.

These tools make it easier than ever for volunteers, lake associations, and the public to report and track suspected cyanobacteria blooms across Maine.

Reporting matters! Timely bloom reports help improve public awareness, support response efforts, identify emerging patterns, and strengthen our collective understanding of where and when blooms are occurring. Even a single report can provide valuable information for protecting lake users, pets, wildlife, and water resources statewide.

Toxins produced by blooms can be a threat to human and animal health. With notification through the Reporting App, Maine DEP can follow-up on these blooms and investigate, potentially sampling for toxins, or work with the community to collect samples and keep people and pets safe.

If you see a suspicious bloom, please submit a report.

New Total Phosphorus Requirement

For volunteers who may have missed the notice from the Maine Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory (HETL):

All Total Phosphorus (TP) samples submitted to HETL must arrive at the lab within 48 hours of collection. If samples cannot arrive within that timeframe, they will need to be acidified. Acid is available from HETL upon request.

All other TP collection procedures remain the same.

2026 AIS Workshop Schedule

Webinar: How to Lead a Plant Paddle

June 2, 2:00 pm

This webinar reviews how Invasive Plant Patrol (IPP) team leaders can conduct a Plant Paddle workshop for volunteers, including how to instruct others to survey for and rule out suspicious aquatic plants.

The program focuses on how to organize a class, teaching basic survey methods for absolute beginners, the importance of reviewing and quality assurance of volunteer survey data, submitting team data to LSM, and how to motivate and encourage others to become IPPers. 

The webinar is designed as an important first step in building a larger network of "eyes on the water" looking for invasive aquatic plants. By introducing beginners to basic survey techniques and aquatic plant awareness, these workshops help expand early detection efforts while encouraging participation to continue their trainings and eventually become certified IPPers.

Webinar: Travel Team Orientation

June 4, 9:00 am

Learn about Lake Stewards of Maine’s IPP Travel Team

and how you can join the fun!

The IPP Travel Team is a group of dedicated invasive plant patrollers who venture beyond their home lakes to address aquatic invasive species issues across Maine. The team has proven itself to be one of LSM’s most powerful tools in confronting the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) in Maine.

In this webinar, volunteers will learn about the work the Travel Team does in surveying lakes for AIS, assisting with rapid response and mapping surveys, educating others, and supporting budding invasive plant patrol teams across the state. Guests will also learn about upcoming Travel Team volunteer opportunities, discover the truly remarkable and beautiful places the Travel Team visits across Maine, and see how everybody has something to contribute to this community of dedicated volunteer lake stewards.

Sign Up for the Survey123 for IPP Webinar

June 9 at 2:00 pm

Survey123 for IPPers teaches Invasive Plant Patrollers how to use Survey123, a powerful geographic information system (GIS) and online survey tracking tool used to document and track volunteer surveys.

Summer Hours

Monday, Wednesday, Friday

8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

or by appointment.

Our office will be closed June 11 & 12 for the Lake Conference.

We recommend calling ahead

(207) 783-7733.

If you would like to support Lake Stewards of Maine,

kindly click on the button below. Thank you!