PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

Public Announcement
From the Maine Department of Environmental Protection­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­
17 State House Station, Augusta ME 04333-0017­
DEP Considers Using Herbicide to Control Eurasian Milfoil
in Salmon Lake
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts:
July 17, 2009 Paul Gregory 287-6961/557-2140
Donna Gormley 592-2032

(AUGUSTA)--The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is looking at administering herbicide in a cove at Salmon Lake in Belgrade to control the spread of Eurasian Milfoil.

The DEP is holding a public meeting on July 22nd at 7pm at the Union Church in Belgrade Lakes to discuss the eradication efforts of the past year and reasons for taking this next step.

“The DEP divers meticulously went about the task of hand weeding the cove, and installed lake bottom barriers in an attempt to stop the spread of the invasive plant,” says Paul Gregory, an Environmental Specialist with the DEP. “The Eurasian milfoil is very aggressive and despite our efforts is rebounding such that the rest of Salmon Lake and downstream waters, namely Great Pond, now face an increased risk of infestation. “

The Eurasian milfoil in Salmon Lake was first reported to DEP last August by a summer visitor. Within a week DEP divers began removing plants and continued dives into late last September.

This year DEP conducted five dives which resulted in the removal of 325 plants – that’s more than twice what was found and removed last year. Other efforts to control the invasive plant include restricting access into the cove by boaters, extending Courtesy Boat Inspection hours at a nearby public boat ramp, and installing nets at the cove’s mouth and outlet to capture plant fragments in an effort to prevent them from spreading and taking root outside the cove.

“If Eurasian Milfoil is left unchecked it is capable of displacing native plants and altering the lake’s habitat,” says Gregory. “Given the situation, we feel appropriate use of herbicide will provide the most effective means available to prevent its spread and allow us better opportunity to control this infestation manually.”

The only other known Eurasian water milfoil infestation in Maine exists in a small private pond in Scarborough.

time for a buffer zone??

BRCA Conservation Corps

The Corps's mission is to reduce sources of pollution in our lakes (Great, Long, Snow/Messalonskee, East, McGrath, North, Watson and Ward Ponds, and Salmon Lake). Founded in 1996 by BRCA, this self-sustaining summer program has completed more than 494 erosion-control projects on all seven Belgrade Lakes in the watershed. Each summer a project director oversees two full-time crews of high school students and crew leaders. Projects like Peninsula Park in Belgrade Lakes Village have helped the conservation raise local awareness of erosion issues.

The BRCA Conservation Corps is seeking candidate sites for its work on an ongoing basis. The Corps will do hand work such as planting trees/shrubs, stabilizing eroding shorelines (riprap), stone lining of eroding ditches and building waterbars and turnouts on roads and drainage ways. Labor will be provided free of charge; landowners will pay for materials and any permit fees. If you know of an eroding site that needs stabilizing, let us know. The Corps Director and the Watershed Program Coordinator are available for on-site consultations about how your property may be affecting water quality in our lakes. Call us at 207-495-6039 or fill out a site assessment form (PDF*).

Every spring the BRCA Conservation Corps seeks energetic, committed, responsible students to perform physically demanding outdoor work.

• Positions are open to high school students age 16 or older, who are capable of performing physically demanding outdoor labor on a daily basis.
  Preference for applicants from Belgrade, Oakland, Rome, Sidney, or Smithfield.
• 35 hours/week beginning in late June and running for seven weeks.
• Must provide own transportation to job sites and be willing to carpool when possible to sites around all seven Belgrade Lakes.

Interested applicants should send a brief application letter consisting of their name, address, phone number, Social Security number, age, grade, names and contact information for three references, description of previous job experiences and/or school activities, and an explanation of why they are qualified for the job.

Send applications to:
BRCA Conservation Corps
P.O. Box 250
Belgrade Lakes, ME 04918

brcacc@gwi.net
(207) 495-6039

summer sunset

about the lake

Messalonskee Lake, Maine

Also known as: Snow Pond, Nine Mile Pond

Locations

• USA > New England > Maine

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Messalonskee Lake: Map & Description

Messalonskee Lake, also known as Snow Pond and Nine Mile Pond, is located in the Belgrade Lakes Region of Central Maine. The 3,510 acre lake, the second largest of the Belgrade Lakes, is approximately 9 miles long and is the result of continental collision and glacial scouring. Its size was increased after it was dammed in 1905 to provide waterpower to Oakland's Cascade Woolen Mill and several factories in the early 20th century. Its average depth is 33 feet with a maximum depth of 113 feet.

While power boating is permitted on Messalonskee Lake, the lake suffers from a problem with aquatic plant life (milfoil) and therefore has become a popular destination for paddle boating, canoeing, and kayaking. Because of its unique habitat and conditions, the lake is considered one of the better places to view plants and wild animals, and binoculars are a must for an afternoon boat ride. The flora and fauna are abundant, ranging from singing bullfrogs and proud bald eagles to carnivorous pitcher plants. Black terns, a rare sight in Maine, also nest on the lake and any visitor will be awed by their beauty.

Fishing is a popular activity on Messalonskee Lake. Anglers can wile away the hours fishing for American eel, crappie, trout, bullhead, pickerel, fallfish, shiner, salmon, bass, pike and more.

While popular for its fishing, the lake is also known for its birding and scenic landscape. Whether observing nature in a canoe or kayak from the water or taking advantage of hiking trails, you will be in awe of the quiet peacefulness of the area, giving you unique and wonderful opportunities to catch animals in their element: foraging for food, bounding through the trees and sleeping in knolls. Don't forget your camera!

Messalonskee Lake: Statistics

• Lake Type: Natural Freshwater Lake, Dammed
• Surface Area: 3,510 acres
• Average Depth: 33 feet
• Maximum Depth: 113 feet

Ice Fishing Frensy

Ice Fishing Frenzy is 'still rock 'n' rolling'

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OAKLAND -- It started as a small winter outing on one lake.

But that was 18 years ago.

Today the Children's Ice Fishing Frenzy is just that -- a frenzy. A good one, though.

As in about 200 children spread among seven lakes in the Belgrade chain, experiencing a sporting activity that is quintessentially Maine.

"This activity really fits the Belgrade Lakes," Oakland Recreation Director Eric Seekins said. "I'm not sure you could do it in Portland, but it works for the Oakland Recreation Department. Originally, it was born out of my own interest in the outdoors and now, 18 years later, it's still rock 'n' rolling."

By Friday afternoon, the deadline to sign up, Seekins had nearly 200 children registered for what this year will be a Super Bowl Sunday event.

For most of its history, the Ice Fishing Frenzy was held on Messalonskee Lake alone.

Seekins added six more Belgrade Lakes -- Salmon, McGrath, North, Great, East and Long -- when he realized that many families had lodges or ice shacks on one of those ponds.

By expanding the venue, many families can stay warm fishing on their home ice.

"It makes it easier for the families with young children," Seekins said.

Participants can start fishing any time they wish, but they have to bring their fish to Atwood Elementary School to be weighed between 3 and 5 p.m.

Prizes are awarded in the following fish categories: white perch, yellow perch, pickerel, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, black crappie, brown trout, splake, brook trout and northern pike.

And then there are the prizes for pre-determined mystery weights, as well as prizes through special drawings and a special prize for the largest fish.

No child, moreover, leaves without receiving a certificate of participation.

"Everybody," Seekins said, "will walk out of there with something on Sunday. All they have to do is show up at the school."

Seekins will be among the participants or, rather, he will be on a lake watching his children, ages 7 and 4, try to hook a big one.

It's important, he said, to let your children learn what ice fishing is all about.

"If (ice fishing) is not passed on to the next generation," he said, "we are going to lose it, and this is a nice, friendly way do to it."

ice fishing in Maine

Tips For Ice Fishing in Maine

There is very little to debate when it comes to ice fishing; people either love it or hate it. But in states like Maine, there is a long tradition of ice fishing, and many people that ice fish can't wait for winter to come so they can get on the ice and enjoy this sport.

But if you’re new to ice fishing in Maine, it is important to get an understanding for what this sport is all about before charging out on the ice. This article will cover the basics of starting out in ice fishing. Who knows, you may even find out that you love the adventure of getting out and catching some big Maine fish.

The first rule of ice fishing is somewhat obvious, but it cannot be overstated enough. Always make certain that the ice your fishing on is safe. A good rule to follow is to wait until there is a minimum of 6 inches of ice on a lake or pond before attempting to fish on it. There are also different types of ice, and it would be wise to get familiar with all of them before heading out.

"Black ice," is a name given to ice that is mostly clear, and contains only air bubbles thoughout it. Black ice is considered to be more safe than the deceivingly-named, "white ice," which is not as clear, and contains melted snow that has been re-frozen over and over. In general, ice fishing beginners should stay away from white ice.

Another good rule is to always test the ice before setting up and fishing. You can often test the ice by the shore, you should drill a couple of holes in the ice close to the shore where the water is not as deep. This will help you to get a good idea of how much ice there is and the quality of it. Another good idea is to ask other fishermen about the quality of the ice and its thickness.

When choosing a spot to fish, you should look at getting some ice fishing access maps that can be available online for lakes and ponds in Maine. These will help to give you a better idea of the depth of a pond or lake that you intend to fish, and hep suggest locations to set up your base camp for fishing. It's also good to note that you need not go out into deep water to catch fish. Many experienced ice fishermen rarely risk going out beyond 6 or 7 feet deep. As a first timer, it is a good idea to stay closer to the shore anyways, and you can be confident that it is just as easy to catch some fish.

Another rule of ice fishing is to never go ice fishing on your own. You should always take a friend when you venture out to go ice fishing. This is important for safety reasons, and it can also make your entire experience much more enjoyable. Another good idea is to let your family or friends know where you will be fishing and at what time you plan to be done.

Ice fishing in Maine can be a great winter pastime, and a way to pass those long, dark winter evenings, but remember, when it comes to ice fishing, safety should always come first.