8615-R4_ML&P_LSLA_2024_SummerNewsletter_Web

Little Sebago Lake Association

Centennial Celebration Events Page 28

LSLA Inaugural Golf Classic Page 31

2024 Online

Raffle & Auction Page 32

Little Sebago, 1898

Celebrating 100 years of lake stewardship “Our mission is to protect, restore, and improve our lake’s water quality and fragile ecosystem. We will create and nurture a community of lake stewards, educate users on lake safety, and always be mindful that human needs must be balanced with the needs of the natural environment.”

BOARD OFFICERS

President Pam Wilkinson

Vice President Gary Kenny

Treasurer Jim McBride

Secretary Cheryl Alterman

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Layne Albert • Rod Bernier • Diane Burnell • Betty Caton • Tim Greer Kevin Kaserman • Andy Mayo • Kevin Murphy • Arnie Rosario • Barbara Sawhill

BOARD COMMITTEES

Hopkins Dam Committee Rod Bernier Jonathan Bernier Justine Beaudoin Bruce Miccucci, Hon. Member LSLA Merchandise Arnie Rosario Tammy Rosario

Membership & Communication Debra Lavoie Pam Wilkinson Jim McBride Tim Greer Kevin Murphy Sharon Lamontagne Cheryl Alterman Sharon Young Barbara Sawhill Water Quality Janet Slack Kevin Kaserman

Historical Committee Barbara Sawhill Jan Stilkey Marilyn Seguin Pam Wilkinson Kim McBride Milfoil Committee Pam Wilkinson Tim Greern Water Quality Janet Slack Kevin Kaserman

Safety Committee Sharon Lamontagne Steve Sayian Loon Committee Sharon Young Betty Caton

Pam Wilkinson Kevin Murphy Julie Waterman

Pam Wilkinson Kevin Murphy Julie Waterman

Membership Address Updates Please contact Cheryl Alterman @ info@littlesebagolake.com with corrections to addresses.

CONTACT INFORMATION Little Sebago Lake Association

P.O. Box 912, Windham, ME 04062-0912 • 207-809-4706 info@littlesebagolake.com • www.littlesebagolake.com

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Contents... Visit our website to enjoy our interactive color version of this newsletter @ https://littlesebagolake.com/about-us/#newsletter

Mission Statement ......................................... 1 LSLA Board Members .................................... 2 Membership Address Update ........................ 2 Contact Information ....................................... 2 Little Sebago Lake Interesting Facts ............. 3 Introduction President’s Message ...................................... 4 Little Sebago Lake Environment Dark Sky ........................................................ 5 Maine Boater Licence - On Line ................... 5 2024 Spring/Summer Hopkins Dam Report 6-7 Looking For Word Press Ninjas ..................... 7 2024 Little Sebago Loonacy ..................... 8-11 Milfoil Militia Program ............................ 12-13 Watershed Update .................................. 14-17 Water Quality Update ............................. 18-19 Little Sebago Lake Engagement LSLA Treasurer’s Report ............................. 20 LSLA Annual Budget .................................... 21 2023 LSLA Membership Contributions ... 22-25

2023 LSLA Endowment & Memorial Giving . 26 LSLA Programs ............................................ 26 LSLA Endowment ....................................... 27 Road Association Contacts .......................... 27 Centennial Events For 2024 ................... 28-29 Centennial Event Locations ......................... 30 Centennial Golf Classic ............................... 31 2024 LSLA Online Raffle ............................. 32 2025 Calendar - Photos Needed ................. 33 LSLA Merchandise ....................................... 34 2023 Scholarship Awards ............................ 35 2024 Annual Meeting ................................... 36 Plant Giveaway at the Annual Meeting ........ 36 Education & Topics of Interest Avian Flu Alert Update ................................ 37 2024 Safety Patrol Program ........................ 38 Kids Riding on The Bow While Underway ... 39 Wearing a Life Jacket When Alone .............. 40 Little Sebago Lake - through the years ....... 41 Courtesy Boat Inspection ............................. 42 Thank You to our Supporters ....................... 43

Little Sebago Lake Interesting Facts 2009 acres . 30.7 miles perimeter 54 feet at the deepest point . 5.76 miles long as the crow flies 6.72 miles from Twin Brooks to Hopkins Dam 22 private islands . Cold and warm fresh water fish

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President’s Message 2024 Pam Wilkinson

Time to make changes to celebrate! Over the term of my presidency, people have asked how long have you been president? Shrugging my shoulders I didn’t calculate because it was pure joy and there was no need to count. As the years have ticked away, I find that it is time to step back and provide the organization with an opportunity for new blood, and refresh new ideas to engage our lake community. It is time to prepare for the future and change it up a bit to avoid becoming stagnant. I wanted to make sure that the transition went smoothly so the announcement was made two years ago that I would be stepping down enough time for the executive committee to make transition plans and create policies that would invite others to feel comfortable taking the president’s position with term structures and outline tasks. I separated the tasks of the presidency from the tasks of my involvement in the multiple committees I have been point person and delegated other tasks to the assistant so the executive committee could approach people with only the tasks of a president. The second step was finding volunteers who have interests in the various committees and see if they wanted to be the point person. Instead of one person heading several programs, have each program managed with an individual person. The committees are water quality, watershed, courtesy boat inspection, centennial, scholarship, historical, and milfoil committees; all these programs are near and dear to my heart knowing that efforts to make improvements meant making substantial improvements to Little Sebago Lake. Several people have come forward and agreed to take on as the contact person and not only that, taking on the program with full force, energy, and professionalism beyond expectations. You see, the divide and conquer provides that new blood carrying oxygen to the organization supporting our mission. I will always stay involved as these programs are my passion.

How we have changed from 100 years ago, how we have changed from 20 years ago. The variety of accomplishments that have advanced our mission is extraordinary- from fiduciary to environmental protection to lake safety to educational and to just having fun. It is time to celebrate this centennial year with lots of fun and educational lake activities our wonderful committee has planned for you. As time has ticked away, the gears of the well-adjusted clock have made such improvements and strides to make sure our future on the lake addresses all needs from safety to environment to having fun. We are so blessed to have our board of directors and committee members whose professionalism, care, and love of the lake have helped serve our mission. Nothing would have been possible without them. The gears of our organization work in unison and allow me to sing their praises. Some people have raised their hand to volunteer in so many appreciated ways which do not go unnoticed. So, how many years, you ask? If I am correct, it is 17 years as president, 32 years starting with LSLA in 1992 as a board member, 43 years loving Little Sebago Lake and this summer will be 73 years loving all our lakes. As I sing my swan song and transition, I look forward to sitting in the early morning, watching the lake unfold with my coffee and knowing all will be

okay for the next 100 years. So long but never goodbye, On behalf of the LSLA Board of Directors, Committee and Volunteers,

Pam Wilkinson LSLA President

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Dark Sky Barbara Sawhill

As you open your camps and prepare for warmer weather, please consider the placement of your outdoor lights and whether they are shining down vs out. Many migratory birds use the night sky to travel during the spring and light pollution can cause confusion and even injury to our wildlife. Light pollution disrupts wildlife, affects human health, wastes energy, and blocks our view of the universe. This summer everyone and every creature that calls Little Sebago Lake home can benefit if we each do our part. For more information and tips please check out the Dark Sky Project at http://darksky.org

iPhoto courtesy Jon Davis, Facebook

Maine Boater License- Online Do you need to take a boater safety course to get a Maine Boating license? You just might! You need education if you are older than 12 years of age, are unsupervised, and will be operating a vessel powered by a motor of more than 10 hp in Maine. You also need education if you are between 16 and 17 years of age and will be operating a personal watercraft (PWC). Click here to learn more and GET CERTIFIED Visit www.boat-edu/maine/

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Spring/Summer 2024 - Hopkins Dam Report Rod Bernier

6 Hopkins Dam is in excellent condition. Little Sebago Lake is 4” below summer level as of April 6 th – 14” higher than we were at this time last year. The winter drawdown began last Fall three days earlier than the State mandated date of October 15 th . We opened Hopkins Dam early because we were 1.5” above our Summer lake level of 289.2’ above Portland Harbor mean low tide. It was another crazy Fall/Winter weatherwise. The lake level gradually decreased until we hit our Winter low of 20” below Summer level on December 9 th . This was very unusual as we usually hit our Winter low water level in January or February. Despite the dam remaining open all winter, the lake began a series of dramatic rises and gradual decreases for the remainder of the season. By December 20 th the lake had come up 17” to 3” below Summer level. With the dam open we should drop an inch a day if there is no precipitation. More storms made the level drop only 5” in three weeks to a

level of 8” below summer level on January 9 th . Heavy precipitation brought the lake to 1” above summer level on January 14 th . This put us almost 2 feet higher than we should be this time of year and Hopkins Dam had a tremendous roar of water flowing through it’s sluiceway at a time that normally only has a trickle. More storms prevented the normal inch a day drawdown, but in the next month the lake was able to go down to it’s next low mark of 16” below summer level on February 17 th . I’m not sure how the tremendous flow of water and the drastic changes in lake levels impacted ice thickness or consistency, but we were worried that the rivers of water flowing under the ice might be causing channels of thinner ice. Storms brought us back up another 9” in the next three weeks to 7” below Summer level on March 12 th . In the next two weeks storms only let us drop another 4” to the last low of the season of 11” below summer level. It’s been a true rollercoaster.

Spring/Summer 2024 - Hopkins Dam Report Rod Bernier

Hopkins Dam will be closed to the State mandated minimal flow on the State mandated date of April 15 th . Our goal, as always, is to have a full lake by Memorial Weekend. There isn’t much of a snowpack, but we shouldn’t have any problem reaching Summer level. The 134 year-old Hopkins Dam survived the winter very well. The new gate and operating system are still working great. There are a couple very small sink holes on the surface of the ~135’ by 30’ earthen dam structure. There are currently minimal leaks in the sidewalls of the sluiceway. There were several trees that came down on the Dam property. A couple landed on our fencing and caused minor damage that I was able to repair. In addition to performing our regular maintenance, we plan on mulching and vegetating the eastern side of the dam where equipment was staged during the major repairs done a couple of years ago. We’re looking into installing a safety barrier/guardrail on the eastern side of the dam to prevent any vehicle from sliding into the dam from the steep hill there. We’ll also be repairing/replacing the orange safety buoys and one of the striped Dam marker buoys

that broke free from the northern side of the sluiceway this winter. Our next major project will be performing maintenance of the riprap on the north side of the dam. We evaluate the status of the riprap yearly. We are still projecting that this will be required in the next 5 to 10 years. Justine Beaudoin has continued to lead our communication efforts with information postings on Facebook. She will post water levels on Facebook on a weekly basis this spring as we bring the lake level up. Gary Kenny will be updating the lake level postings on the LSLA website. Gary and Justine continue to partner with me on the darn Dam Committee. Many thanks to them both for all of their volunteer efforts. Thanks also to the Board of Directors of the Little Sebago Lake Association and to all of the LSLA membership for your tremendous support. We’ll be providing a full Hopkins Dam report during the Centennial Annual Meeting in July. I hope to see you there. Rod Bernier Hopkins Dam Keeper

Any Wordpress Ninjas Out There? LSLA has outgrown our current web hosting site. We have been with them for a few years and it’s time to look for a more stable and scalable home for LittleSebagoLake.com. We will not only just move content, but there will be some cleaning up to do as well. I’m looking for a volunteer position, someone who loves Little Sebago and wants to do their part to help support the Association. If you have the skills and the time, please contact Kevin Murphy at kmurphy@ littlesebagolake.com.

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Spring/Summer 2024 - Little Sebago Lake Loonacy Sharon Young

Greetings Little Sebago Loon lovers. Did you know that summer 2024 marks the 10th anniversary of my personal Loon observations and the 7 th year since the formation of the Little Sebago Loon Monitoring and Conservation Program? We have come such a very long way!!! I began informally observing and recording loon nesting activities in 2015 when Biodiversity Research Institute curtailed their formal program on LS. BRI had been banding and surveying loons on LS since 1997. When I started observing I recorded the dates nests were discovered, dates when they either hatched or failed, and numbers of chicks hatched and surviving the season. I had no formal training in Loons or in scientific research – just an absolute love of the beautiful creatures that we share the lake with. In 2018 I asked the Lake Association to allow me to apply for a grant to begin a formal program and hire a research biologist to train a team of “Loon Rangers” in scientific data collection and loon monitoring. We were awarded the grant and began the program. The team of Loon Rangers received training in identifying banded birds on the lake and were trained to recognize common loon behavior patterns and activities. We were given data collection sheets and assigned observation territories (places where loons were known to nest in previous years) to monitor for reproductive successes. And so, it began. Our program has come a long way from just monitoring and data collection, although that remains a critical task. Each year these dedicated volunteers have had more training opportunities with our consulting loon specialist, Lee Attix, and spend countless hours on the lake observing and collecting data. As time went on, so did our own knowledge. We learned not only to recognize behavior habits and monitor territories, but more about the birds themselves; how

to properly handle and contain a 10–15 pound loon while the biologist bands them and takes samples to test for lead and other contaminants in blood and feathers. We learned when it is appropriate to provide intervention in critical situations and when we must let nature take its course. Observations of nesting activities provide a measurement of reproductive success. Loons have been known to live into their 30’s. They go through just one reproductive cycle each year and typically build their nest on islands or in protected coves. Their nest usually contains only one or two eggs. The eggs have only a 50% chance of hatching. Nests often fail due to washouts from weather related water level fluctuations, and more and more frequently, from boat wakes that drive wakes right up onto land and wash out the eggs. Another cause of failure is known predators such as crows, ravens, eagles, bears, and racoons. Nests are also sometime just abandoned if the loon parents feel threatened by aggressive intruding loons or by humans and their pets getting too close. Even if the nest hatches 1 or possibly 2 chicks, historical data suggests approximately 50% of hatched chicks survive (“fledge” in loon lingo). Turtles, large fish, and many of the same predator threats to the eggs are also threats to the loon chicks. Other adult loons are also a frequent cause of death to loon chicks if their parents are unable to defend them. So, over the 25 or so years of mating maturity of an adult loon, 1/2 of the nests are successful and ½ of the hatched chicks survive. That means that each adult can reasonably be expected to generate just 3 additions to the population over their lifetime. It’s easy to see why it’s so important for we humans to do everything we can to support their successful reproduction. Several years ago, our team began recovery activities in addition to the monitoring. Abandoned eggs are collected to test, and cadavers are collected to necropsy. Both the eggs and the cadavers provide scientists with valuable tools to

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Spring/Summer 2024 - Little Sebago Lake Loonacy Sharon Young

Figure 1 - A success story - Little Sebago chick born and banded in 2020 returns to LS as adult - 2023

learn more about the species as well as providing insights into the health of the lake ecosystem. High levels of contaminants in the eggs and the birds

are indicators of contaminants in the ecosystem which could in turn be harmful to other lake wildlife and human health.

Figure 2 - Necropsy Loon DOA at Little Sebago – 2022

Figure 3 - Abandoned egg recovered at Little Sebago - 2022

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Spring/Summer 2024 - Little Sebago Lake Loonacy Sharon Young

Our growth didn’t stop with monitoring and recovery. In each of the past two seasons the Little Sebago Loon Rangers have rescued 2 loons!!! In 2022 it was two loon chicks rescued on two separate occasions, and in two different territories, from attack by adult loon aggressors. The two chicks were raised together by rehabilitators away from the lake and then returned in late fall after the adults’ territorial aggressions and hormones had cooled. Then in 2023 there were two adult loons rescued from entanglement in a fishing line and a hook. Loon Rangers were able to contain the two birds, cut the line holding the two to one another, and safely transport them to professionals to remove the hook and lines tightly embedded in their legs. These loons were returned to the lake the next day healthy and happy to be home.

Figure 4- Two chicks rescued as very young chicks and released back on Little Sebago fully fledged- 2022

Figure 5 Two Loon entangled in fishing line rescued, treated, and released back at Little Sebago - 2023

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Spring/Summer 2024 - Little Sebago Lake Loonacy Sharon Young

And it doesn’t stop there. Education is a huge component in any conservation effort. So in 2023 we erected a live stream camera on one of our frequently successful nest sites. The live stream proved a success, and the resident loon pair did indeed mate and lay two eggs. Unfortunately, a doe decided that the island would be a good place to birth her fawn as well. Deer and Loons do not make good bedfellows! Our nesting adults quickly abandoned the nest when the little fawn peaked through the bushes to say hello to the adult sitting on the nest. It did provide hours of viewing entertainment, watching the courtship and mating rituals, then later a bit of excitement when an intruding pair entered the territory and were quickly sent scurrying by our resident adults, and then a muskrat visit, and finally deer in residence. We are all set to try streaming again in 2024 and will post announcements when we are up live.

Through these many years of working with professionals in the field and gathering our own knowledge and experience the Loon Ranger program has progressed from monitoring to recovery, to rescue! We stand ready to respond to any alerts from our lake community when loons appear to be in trouble. We also hope that everybody enjoys the updates and educational pieces we share on our Facebook page “Little Sebago Loon Watch”. Rangers monitor the page daily and quickly respond to alerts. Otherwise, feel free to reach out to me by text or phone at 207 632-0075 in any emergency and I will dispatch help. Sharon Young, Coordinator Little Sebago Loon Monitoring & Conservation

Figure 6 - LS Loon Rangers - 2023

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2024 Milfoil Milita Updates Coordinators: Pam Wilkinson & Tim Greer Looking back, Looking Forward - Other Threats on The Horizon

It didn’t really matter that it was a horrible rainy summer in 2023, our milfoil team was ready to work regardless of the conditions. Dressed in warm clothes and raincoats, they are troopers for sure. It is not known when milfoil really began in Little Sebago, but it was first spotted in 1999. After a couple of years, the fragments were gathered Lake Watershed Resource Management (LWRMA), now Lake Stewards of Maine (LSM) submitted for DNA testing at UCONN and was identified as hybrid variable milfoil invasive plant. Over the past 20 years we have gradually decreased the amount of invasive milfoil in the lake and preserved the ecosystem and maintained the usage of the water for humans. In 2023 our program removed 237 40-pound size onion bags of invasive milfoil. The bag count was up a bit due to a couple of reasons. I am pretty

sure it was by divine guidance that we found one bed of milfoil by Bean Island. Late August someone lost a fishing pole and when diver Peter Dollard went to find it, he found a massive bed of invasive milfoil. Along with another diver Jim MacNaught, they removed 35 bags in one day. This used to be standard. Peter finally got to see what others had seen years ago. In the latter part of September, in Sheldrake Cove, due to increased sunlight, lower water levels and warmer waters another 44 bags of milfoil were retrieved, one third of the total count for 2023. Since we cannot be in all places at all times, a plant survey by Lake and Watershed Associates will take place in July to identify what we have accomplished so far and provide a comparison analysis of the survey report that was done in 2003 by LWMRA. They will also let us know if we have any other types of invasive plant that have been found in other lakes surrounding us.

Year

Upper Lake/Narrows

Beaver Cove

Mumford Cove

Middle Lake Coves/Islands

Gray Totals

Windham Totals

Combined Totals

Cash Amt Spent

In-Kind Donated Time

Total Project Cost

2004 2005** 2006*** 100

150

350 133

600 550 437 753 290 218 173 423 278 225 110

600 710

1200 1260 1769 1720 1781 1127 1184 718

62,517 67,296 55,652 51,580 67,266 48,350 46,254 51,508 43,926 32,233 28,144 28,814 36,186 44,183 48,674 46,298 58,186 47,514 864,581

9,650 9,255 9,260

72,167 76,551 64,912 65,366 84,312 60,816 59,555 65,418 56,926 41,479 37,469 37,125 44,386 52,321 64,410 60,928 73,584 61,798

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Totals

326 277 448 241 195 136 341 235 104

91 63

97

1332

9 2 7

296

967

13,786 17,046 12,466 13,301 13,910 13,000 9,246 9,325 8,311 8,200 8,138 15,736 14,630 15,398 14,284 214,942

47 16 21 33 28 71 34

1491

500 954 761 353 165 126 130 109 116 93

16 49 15 50 24 10 16

631 389 237 182 161 163 182 219 185 237

52 40 50 41 59 73 71 37

1 2 4 2 2 2 2

51 69 54 66 96 86

1 6 2

3 3 4 2 2

49 21 45

128

91 89

151

2826

516

1141

124

4607

8738

13,345

1,079,523

Numbers have been rounded Each bag weighs approx. 20 lbs. dry weight. Approx. 133 tons have been removed 2004-2005** Milfoil removed by hand, actual count was not recorded 2006*** 1200 bags removed. Lost information found in 2016. Information was provided by DEP with no breakdowns Invasive Milfoil Removed

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2024 Milfoil Milita Updates Coordinators: Pam Wilkinson & Tim Greer Looking back, Looking Forward - Other Threats on The Horizon

Occasionally, look down at the lake’s bottom or snorkel in your area and report any changes. Please visit these sites to become familiar with what might be an invasive threat in front of you. Contact pwilkinson@littlesegagolake. com with any questions, concerns, or if you wish to have an inspection in your area of the lake. To become more knowledgeable on native and invasive species visit the following sites: mainelakes.org; lakestewardsofmaine. org; maine.gov/dep/water/invasives Please stay at least 200 feet away from the milfoil boat in operation. We need this for the safety of our divers and to reduce waves which compromise the intake that is in the water and needed to maintain suction. Signs will be displayed on the boat and dive flags will be flying.

Milfoil Boat Traveling

LSLA thanks you for your generous donations to support the milfoil militia program. Without you the operations would not go so smoothly. Tim Greer manages our fleet, and they are working boats, so maintenance is key. Thanks also goes to those who have volunteered to assist us.

Milfoil With Roots

Milfoil On Dock

Milfoil Under Water

Milfoil Varieties

Milfoil Plant Structure

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Watershed Update Layne Albert

It’s winter and our lake is quiet and mostly (partly?) frozen (as of the time of writing/submission of this article…..). Boats and wave runners have been out since October last year. Certainly, no one is swimming. I’ve only seen a handful of people ice fishing. But the silence and lack of activity on the lake is a stark contrast to the amount of activity currently happening in the background. We have a relatively short season to work with homeowners within our watershed to identify and remediate sources of pollution that flow to our lake and negatively impact the lake’s water quality. So, during the winter we do our best to recruit participants into the LakeSmart evaluation program, identify and train volunteers to perform the LakeSmart evaluations and work with our constituents on watershed issues. It’s a pretty busy winter for us focused on implementing measures to increase Little Sebago Lake’s water quality. Short-term Goals – LakeSmart

For this season (and going forward) our (the Watershed Committee) goal is to continue to promote voluntary participation in performing LakeSmart evaluations around the lake. We work closely with Maine Lakes.org (Maine’s non-profit, charitable membership organization designed to be the voice for protection of freshwater resources and wildlife habitat) to be up to date on the LakeSmart program. Kevin Ronan is our LakeSmart coordinator. Along with Kevin, BJ Warner is also trained to be a LakeSmart evaluator, and in addition, she is a plant expert so having her along during an evaluation might include advice on proper planting as well. I have been training to become a LakeSmart evaluator and will join the team this season to help with evaluations. We could use help here….. Please consider becoming an evaluator yourself for our lake. We need more evaluators as more Little Sebago Lake homeowners have begun to ask for evaluations. The evaluations take about an hour to perform and a few more hours afterwards to document the work so it’s not a large time commitment. In addition, the training is relatively quick (entirely virtual other than attending evaluations) and is mostly comprised of attending evaluations with other experienced evaluators. It’s a kind of learn by watching thing…… You will be rewarded with helping our homeowners identify sources of Non-Point Source (“NPS”) pollution

and identify ways to improve their buffer zones mitigating the problems. NPS pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground. As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, depositing them into our lake. Helping us to identify and reduce NPS pollution will result in higher quality lake water for us. Thank you in advance for your help…… We’ve performed a few evaluations so far but have yet to fully get the program going and reap the benefits of a cleaner lake. So, we challenged the Board of Directors and committee members (if you haven’t heard from us yet, you will soon) to participate in a LakeSmart assessment. Remember that we, your neighbors, perform the evaluation and the results are NOT shared with the DEP. We really encourage your participation in the LakeSmart program. You will gain valuable insight into how to best plant and manage your property to help improve the quality of our lake. We even have some funds from the Little Sebago Lake Association to help offset some of the cost of implementing Best Management Practices (BMPs). BMPs are a practice or combination of practices that are an effect, practicable means of preventing or reducing the amount of pollution generated by nonpoint sources (NPS). Implement BMPs, increase your buffer zones (fortify and plant

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Watershed Update Layne Albert

appropriately and remediate NPS pollution sources and we will have high quality water in our lake. Our goals regarding LakeSmart are; • Encourage widespread participation in the LakeSmart program, • Recruit and train volunteers to perform evaluations, • Assist in the implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs) designed to mitigate runoff pollution, and • Document the projects, start to finish, to facilitate grant applications to help fund more watershed protection projects. Watershed Protection Plan From a more long-term perspective, we will continue to partner with the Cumberland County Soil and Water Conservation District and the DEP to freshen up and reactivate the Little Sebago Lake Watershed Protection Plan. The plan lays out a strategy and schedule for non-point source (NPS) mitigation and water quality protection efforts. In 2002 and 2003, the entire watershed (13.3 square miles – keep in mind our lake is three square miles – so you can see how much of a larger area impacts our water quality) was surveyed for sources of NPS pollution (polluted runoff into the lake). A total of 312 NPS sites were identified. The greatest number of sites were identified on RESIDENTIAL properties (160) which accounted for about 51% of sites documented. The next most documented land uses were private road sites, which accounted for 19% of all sites identified (60) and driveway, which accounted for 13% of all sites identified (39). The remaining 17% of sites identified were associated with town roads (13), construction sites (11), beach access sites (9), rights-of-way (8), boat access (7), trails/paths (3), agriculture (1) and lodging (1).

Long-term Goals

As part of the Little Sebago Lake Conservation Project – Phase III, every site identified in the 2002 and 2003 survey was re-surveyed in 2012. All the original and updated survey results were entered into an MDEP (Maine Department of Environmental Protection) NPS Site Tracker database. This database includes information on sites that have been addressed over the past ten years (what was done, approximate cost, method in which addressed (such as a Youth Conservation Corps project or a 319-Grant implementation project), and current site condition. The 2012 survey showed that many the sites documented in the original surveys have been addressed through grant projects and/or landowner initiative, yet there are still 165 sites remaining. RESIDENTIAL properties (57%), private roads (19%), and driveways (16%) accounted for most of the sites remaining to be addressed from the 2012 survey. We have work to do on the Watershed Protection Plan including identifying the 165 sites from the 2012 survey to see if any have been remediated already and documenting the results, identifying any new sources of NPS pollution and prioritizing the remaining NPS sites

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Watershed Update Layne Albert

and developing a plan to remediate those sites. Next Steps include: • Watershed Committee – formally starting the committee, setting goals, and getting to work. • 319-Grants and other – seek grants from relevant governmental bodies to assist in our watershed protection efforts. • Targeted Outreach – working with the homeowners of previously identified NPS pollution sites to remediate an document the work. • Youth Conservation Corps – develop a YCC (or maybe sharing with some other lake’s YCC) to help us with these YCC eligible NPS mitigation projects. Stay tuned for developments around a YCC. • Strategic Relationship Building – Continue to develop relationships with the town councils for Gray, Windham and Raymond Grow more plants and reduce or eliminate use of fertilizer and pesticides (if it makes your yard green – it makes the lake green). Swap some of your lawn for vegetable gardens, groundcovers, pollinator gardens, or other landscaping to grow food, create habitat and reduce maintenance. Don’t apply product before a storm or rain – it will just blow or wash away into the lake. Clean up any lawn clippings, lawn care product, or other yard waste from driveways, sidewalks and roads so they don’t flow to or block storm drains. The only way to dispose of pet waste responsibly is to bag it immediately and throw it in the trash. Dog waste does not decompose and carries a staggering amount of bacteria and other pathogens that cause harm to humans and the lake. Carry

to help identify watershed protection ordinances that are uniform, to help remediate NPS sites and document the results and to help drive policies and actions that will protect our watershed and improve our water quality. We will continue to develop relationships with the MDEP, the Cumberland County Soil and Water Conservation District, Maine Lakes.org, the Portland Water District, Lake Stewards of Maine and other lake associations to share best practices, keep abreast of the latest thinking with access to the newest training materials and to be on the forefront of issues impacting our watershed. Lastly, here are some lesser-known facts that will help you to have a nice lake friendly yard and environment. Reduce soil erosion by: Plant trees, shrubs and other plants to create a buffer zone between your property and any waterway or storm drain to filter out pollutants. Capture runoff with rain barrels, rain gardens and drip line trenches. Stabilize paths and walkways with mulch, crushed gravel, or steps. Minimize the time soil is exposed when you do construction or landscaping. Maintain gravel roads and driveways.

Lawn and Garden

Pet Waste

at least three bags with you when you walk your dog and always dispose of dog waste in a bag in the trash. We love our pets, but pet waste is NOT fertilizer and NOT lake friendly.

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Watershed Update Layne Albert Litter and Waste

Litter washed into our lake can choke, suffocate, or disable aquatic life such as ducks, loons, fish, turtles, and birds. Common litter item include cigarette butts, fast food packaging and bottles/ Road salt and deicers have a harmful impact on local water bodies when they dissolve into stormwater and are carried into our lake. Reduce the use of salt and melting agents by applying them sparingly and storing them properly (covered securely in a closed container). Salt before the storm to prevent ice from forming. Remove snow Leaking vehicles can drip oils and gas onto the ground where they are picked up by runoff and carried in our lake. Soap from washing cars can also flow into our lake. Keep your vehicles functioning properly. Service them regularly. Dispose of fluids and batteries at designated drop off and recycling locations. Use drip basins and Leaking and poorly maintained septic systems release pollutants that can flow into our lake and case significant environmental damage. Inspect your system year. Pump your tank as often as necessary (approximately three years for year round homes; every five years for seasonal Cleaning products for clothing, appliances, drains and other objects are considered hazardous waste and can be extremely toxic to the environment. If used or disposed of improperly, they can negatively affect our lake. Dispose of chemicals as specified

cans. Properly dispose of all trash (or recycle). Keep your trash bin lids closed securely. Sweep up litter and debris especially around storm drains.

Salt and Ice Removal

manually before applying any salt or sand. Apply sparingly. A 12-ounce cup of coffee (think small) of salt is enough salt to cover 10 sidewalk squares or a 20-foot driveway. Salt doesn’t work to melt the snow if the pavement is colder than 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Consider a product like Safe Paw or Snow Joe (non-salt ice melters). cloths to avoid spilling when changing liquids and when doing so, use an impervious level surface far away from our lake. Take your car to a car wash versus doing it at your home. Even biodegradable soaps pollute our lake. Starting October 1, 2024, the use of coal tar sealants is prohibited by Maine State Law. homes). Avoid practices that might damage your septic tank and leach field such as driving over it with a vehicle or planting bushes and trees over the top of it. Do not use drain cleaners or other toxic chemical products. Do not put cooking oil or grease down the drain. on the product’s label. Store chemicals in their original containers. Visit the MDEP website for general disposal information. For washing clothes consider products like Dropps© which are tested to be environmentally as friendly as possible.

Car and Driveway Care

Septic Maintenance

Household Hazardous Waste

Maine DEP 24-hour Spill Hotlines

There is no such thing as a small spill. Report any oil or hazardous material spill to the MDEP 24-hour

Spill Hotline. For oil spills call 1-800-482-0777. For other hazardous material spills call 1-800-452-4664.

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Water Quality Update Janet Slack

The LSLA Water Quality Team did an outstanding job of monitoring Little Sebago last summer – going out to collect samples and data every two weeks from May until the end of September. We again worked closely with students from St. Joseph’s College to get a good picture of the health of our lake. Special thanks go to our boat drivers over the summer: Kevin Kaserman, Bob Desrosier, Pam Wilkinson and Kristi Sarchi. Lake water quality is a delicate balance between dozens of factors. While on the lake, we record weather conditions, test for water clarity, and collect temperature and oxygen readings at every meter of depth from the surface to the lake bottom. We do this at the deepest point of each of the three basins of the lake. Finally, we collect water samples for lab analyses of phosphorus, chlorophyll and pheophytin. Each of these tests give us information about how the lake is doing. Clarity is a quick and easy test

that often correlates to overall health of the lake – the clearer the water, the better! Temperature helps us know when to expect plant and algae growth, when the fish are stressed and how much fun the people are having in the water. Dissolved oxygen is required for a healthy lake – for the fish and the beneficial plants and microorganisms. Phosphorus is a very important test because it is the element that is in short supply in a lake environment. Phosphorus levels limit how much plant growth there is in the lake. When phosphorus levels go up, there are more algae blooms and overgrowths of other plants. Chlorophyl is a pigment of plants and helps us see directly how much plant growth there is; pheophytin indicates plants that have already decayed. One of the factors impacting the lake is the water entering the lake from streams. In the past two years, we have a new initiative to look at the

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Water Quality Update Janet Slack

Because of the complexity of lakes, we can’t say exactly why a particular result happens. There are both positive factors and harmful factors occurring all the time. But the more we know about the chemistry and biology of our lake, the more pieces we can sort out to provide protection. The Water Quality program may be the best money that is spent by our Association in terms of protecting our future.

We also can’t control many of the factors that impact water quality – a few examples: the amount of rain, the temperature, the amount of phosphorus released from the sediments on the bottom of the lake. The list of factors we can’t control is long. However, the things we can control can make

phosphorus levels in the major streams around the lake. We sampled those streams multiple times over summer 2023. Continuing stream monitoring will allow us to find potential sources of pollution entering the lake. Our water quality results from summer 2023 include good news and bad news. Good news: • There were very few problems with algae. • Chlorophyl levels have been slowly going down over the past 3 years. • Phosphorus levels in the lake were steady in the middle and lower basins. • Stream phosphorus levels are all within acceptable limits. • Oxygen levels at the bottom of the lake were very low, causing stress for the fish in the lake and therefore stress for the loons. • The upper lake had slightly higher phosphorus levels than in previous years. • The clarity of the water was the lowest in decades in all three basins of the lake. Bad news:

a very big difference. Don’t be fooled by thinking that they are little things – that delicate balance of water quality can be swung quickly in the positive direction if we each do our part. Here are some of the ways to positively impact our lake: • Preventing runoff, especially sand and soil, washing from your property into the lake. • Picking up the dog waste on your property and disposing of it in the trash. • Avoiding churning up the bottom of the lake with your boat. • Getting your septic tank pumped every 3 years. • Monitoring the lake bottom near you for unusual plants or algae. • Replacing some lawn grass with native plants. • Volunteering to drive a boat for sampling or getting trained to run tests on the water.

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LSLA Treasurer’s Report - Jim McBride

A summary financial report showing 2023 results compared to budget is attached. It also shows the proposed budget for 2024. Once again, we ended the 2023 year in excellent financial shape due to tremendous support from our members and friends, and also prudent fiscal management from our board. Here are a few highlights: • Total 2023 income of $221,670 was over budget by $35,870. Donations from our membership appeal were $10,234 higher than expected, and endowment gifts were $38,150 above budget due to the $100k for 100 years challenge. Grants were $5,945 under budget since we did not get a budgeted grant from Maine Community Foundation. We did not need to transfer interest/growth from our reserves and endowment investments to fund operations. Merchandise revenue was $3,732 less than budgeted. • Our income budget for 2024 shows total income of $229,000. It reflects a slight 3% decrease in donations but $40,000 in endowment giving to meet the $100k for 100 years challenge. Our fundraising budget includes $21,000 for the Centennial Golf Classic, which is expected to break-even. Our budget assumes $4,500 in funds taken from the Reserve investments to balance the budget. • Total 2023 expenses were $149,523 which were below budget by $36,277. We were under budget in almost every category Milfoil expenses were under budget almost $24,000 since boat maintenance was lower than expected and we did not complete a planned milfoil survey last year. We were also under budget in loon protection and watershed management. • Our budget for 2024 shows total expenses of $229,000. The largest increase is marketing and communications for centennial projects and $21,000 for the Centennial Golf Classic (assumed to break-even). The milfoil budget includes $17,000 for a full milfoil survey. The budget also has $10,000 increased funding for a new watershed management program, and increased safety expenses for a 2nd patrol boat and increased warden coverage. • Total Income Less Expense: We ended 2023 with very strong positive cash flow and a net surplus of $72,147. Our 2024 budget shows a balanced budget with no deficit or surplus. As noted before, we will use up to $4,500 from the interest/growth generated by our Reserves.But we will not tap into funds from our Endowment. • Net Worth – at year-end 2023 we had total assets of $522,769, just over $115,000 higher than last year. This was due to the $72,147 surplus, and gains in invested funds for the endowment and reserves managed by the Maine Community Foundation due to improved market conditions. • We are incredibly grateful for the strong support from our members and friends who make donations, give to the endowment, join the raffle, and purchase merchandise that helps us keep Little Sebago a safe and healthy lake for all to enjoy! We are also very appreciative of the important grant support provided by the towns of Gray and Windham, and the State of Maine DEP for our courtesy boat inspection and our milfoil programs.

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LSLA Annual Budget - Jim McBride

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2023 LSLA Membership Contributions

Benefactors $500 and Up Layne & Rhonda Albert Ellen M Bailey David & Donna Banks Justin & Kelly Brewer Bridget & Tim Carpenter Kevin & Cecile Dean Douglas J Collins Mary Conneen David & Judith Craver Jennifer Cunningham Jim & Meredith Cutler Robert & Claire Desrosiers Sean Forbes

Advocates $250 - $499 Ruth & Roger Abbott Amazon Smile Rob Aranow & Patricia Profeta Aranow David & Linda Bailey

John & Kirsten Mallia Linda Markee Tom Martin Michael Mastromonaco Robert Maxwell Andy & Lori Mayo Edward & Perri McNaught Vincent Micale & Sara Carchidi Bruce & Virginia Micucci Bonnie Mitchell Krista & Michael Newman Warren Eddy Nowlin & Retta Nowlin Anne & Dennis O’Donovan Jason & Rebecca Palmer Chip & Marianne Panciocco Pamela J Porell & Tom Cleveland Kendall & Ruth Pritchard Cindy Rague & Dana Beaulieu Barbara Sawhill & John Mullaney Stephen & Maryellen Schissler Roland & Marilyn Seguin Gary & Maureen Sidelinger Janet & Robert Slack Kenneth & Douglas Truscott Debra Vicharelli & Bob Myron Willard & Deborah Viola Peter & Alice Violette Kenneth R Walker & Willis Johnson Stewards $100 - $249 Carl & Alexis Albach Carolyn & Knute Albrecht Kim & Bob Aldrich Cheryl & Allan Alterman Robert & Wilma Reed John & Lynne Ritucci Mark & Krystal Rohrbaugh Kevin & Lori Ronan Wayne & Lisa Saltsman

Rick & Barbara Beckwitt William & Susan Bennett Judith & Jack Bichajian Jason Bisson

Richard & Cheryl Bolduc David & Heather Brackett Meikel & Keith Brewster Susan Brooks Douglas & Susan Brown Joan Bruck Michael & Leona Bruns Douglas & Janice Burke & Stuart Burke Donna Burtt & Donald Bowker Betty & Don Caton Lloyd & Stacy Chandler Violetta Cotreau & John Hughes Alan & Jerelyn Creutz John & Patty Davis Andy & Julie DeRice Peter Dollard & Merle Westbrook Charles M. English Meade Fasciano Raymond & Nina Geissler Sharon Gieringer Mark & Catherine Girr Deborah & Robert Goldstein Stephen Gorman Anthony & Doreen Gouveia Robert & Elisabeth Gravel Wendy Gushee Nir Hacohen & Catherine Wu Thomas Hagerty Richard & Charlotte Hallworth Hannaford Dennis Hanson & Anne C Witham Faith Heneghan Doug & Tamara Hoehle

Scott & Linda Freedman Jodi & Thomas Gernon Brian C & Donna Gowen John & Gretchen Grassmann Cassandra & Christopher Hudson Phyllis Jalbert H. Parker James & Randall Albright Jeffrey & Judith Kane Christine Kovach Thomas & Sarah Kramlich Mark & Debra Lavoie Allison Lee & Peter Hirst Little Sebago Lodges Inc. Robert & Deborah Loranger Ron & Cindy Lydick Jim & Kim McBride Rodney & Sandra Mears John S Morneault John & Roberta Morris Leland (Skip) & Kristine Murray Mark Noonan & Chiara Battelli Bryan Phinney James & Julie Pochepan Bill Readdy & Colleen Nevius David & Patti Richards Kenneth & Heather Ringdahl

Mark S Arsenault Ronald Babbidge

Steven & Betsey Roman Arnold & Tamara Rosario Lindsay & Sean Ryan Bill & Kim Shelley Paul & Christine Tobin Anthony & Martha Vorlicek Harvey R & Rose Ann Waite Sandra & Corey Wendland Dan & Pam Wilkinson

John D & Nancy Barnard Jeffrey & Deanna Barrows Joseph & Sheila Baumann Roger & Justine Beaudoin Mark S & James W Beckman Rodney & Sherene Bernier Laurie Berry Wayne & Suzanne Berzinis

Lori & Mark Holmes Meg & Bruce Keltie Jesse & Pamela Klein Roger & Mary LeBlanc Jamie & Katherine LeBlanc Russell & Lindy Lovejoy Dougald & Jennifer MacGillivray

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2023 LSLA Membership Contributions

Frederick & Margaret Boehm Nancy Boguszewski

Edward & Theresa Dufour Dumont Family Cottages Dwayne & Heidi Dunn Howard R & Carmen Farr Daniel & Tina Farrell Robert &Tanya Filadoro

Gail E Labbe Larry & Anne Laderbush

Richard & Carol Bohnson Linda J. and Paul A. Bois Alice Borella Brian & Sue Boucher Louise Bowling & Elizabeth Clausen James D Briggs & Alicia Bartlett

Justin & Marycelina Lamontagne Augusta Landry & Stephen Landry Gary & Norene Lanoie Victoria M Larson & Dr. Betty Robinson Martha & Gary LaViolet Robert & Laurie Lawrence Joseph N and Mona Leavitt Susanna Lee Melissa & Joshua Letarte Lawrence Lindenberg & Christine Bertolaccini

John D. Fish & Christina Beakley Robert B Fisher & Juliet Clarke Dale & Claudia Folsom Bruce & Pam Foshay Susan Franzetti & Guy DeBoo Jake Frustaci Robert & Jacqueline Gallant Paul & Mary Gallant Kenneth & Diane Gamache Peter & Deborah Gellerson David & Christine Godfrey Jeff & Joanne Goguen Charles & Denise Goodspeed Margaret Gough Linda Gray & Dawna Santoro, Trustees David & Nancy Greene Ronald & Sharon Gregor Chester & Judy Harriman Robert & Anne Harrington Cynthia C. Hawkes & Carol Mayle Kevin & Rushna Heneghan Charles K Hennessey & Nancy Johnston

Carol Brigham David Browder Gary A. & Karin E. Brown Jason & Crystal Brown Alex Brown & Rebecca Simon Elliott & Joan Bryce William & Judy Cadorette Jane Carr & Joann Jellison Edward & Mary Ann Casey Robert Casparius Terrence & Deborah Cekutis Michael & Nicole Ciacciarelli Ann E Cobb John & Yun-Son Choi Cobb Richard & Ann Coffey David & Sonna Collins Spring & James Connolly Paul Connolly Robert & Poppy Cook Andre & Sue Ellen Cote Daniel & Helen Craver Shelly Cristaldi David & Peter Curran Linda Davidson David & Sharon Davies Donna Davis & John Redlon Stephen & Carol Davis Robert & Judy Davis Joseph &Lynn DeAndrade Paul & Ellen Decristofaro Diiorio Family Matty & Donna Direnzo Christine & Edward Doherty Andrew & Torre Donaldson Kurt D & Anne Dossin Michael & Jennifer Doten Chris & Jacqui Drummy James Caron Charles Carr

Amy Lippmann Exploring LLC Scott & Lynn Low Scott Lowell Marcia M Lowery

Kenneth & Donna MacDonald Michael & Sandra MacDonald Alan J MacIsaac Arthur & Marcia MacVane Forbes & Maria MacVane Stephen & Jolie Makowka Diana & George Mallard Susan & Michael Maloney Tarra & Paul Marchetti Stacey Marotta & Michelle Freni Patricia & Bruce Marshall Alan & Susan Marston Catherine & Stephen Martin Marsha Martin Raymond & Lucy Maxwell Linda & John Mayol Joseph T & Kellie McDonnell Brian McDonnell Steve McFarland & Nancy Kelly Haley McGovern Richard & Shirley McIntosh Joseph & Jerilyn McMenamin Ralph M & Maureen Merrill Benjamin & Susan Morneault Mark D. & Rosalie B. Mosher Bill & Sarah Murphy Kevin & Laurie Murphy James & Linda Mycock Kenneth Myers Cheri Ann & Steven Narducci Nathanson Family

Elizabeth, Bryce & Robin Hillman William Hoagland & Leah Orton Kate Iacobucci Gregg & Donna Isherwood Keith & Karen Johnson Stephen & Cynthia Johnson Jeffrey & Sandra Johnson Phyllis Johnson & Diane Sewall Scott & Christine Johnson Jane Gould Johnson Kevin C & Denise Kaserman Edward Keith

Gary & Cindy Kenny Scott & Erica Kidder Kevin Kimball

Theresa M & Geoffrey King John & Christine Komola Ronald & Denise Koster Stephen & Drew Kovach David & Debbie Kramlich Lisa Kyle

Christine & Eric Dube William & Elaine Duffus

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