TLEA makes major erosion gains on Thompson Lake

OTISFIELD — The first year of the Thompson Lake Environmental Association (TLEA) grant project to control erosion from sites in Otisfield was a huge success. Through the hard work of TLEA and its dedicated partners, soil erosion that washes into Thompson Lake was reduced by an estimated 52 tons.

TLEA thanks the Town of Otisfield, the Jillson Camp and Cobbs Cove Road Assocations, and the Silvaqua Owners Association for their generous support, both financial and through donated labor, supplies and equipment. TLEA also extends a special thank you to the numerous private property owners who planted buffers, built rain gardens, installed runoff diverters across driveways, and cut erosion from camp access roads.

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has identified soil erosion as the greatest threat to the clarity of Maine lakes. Soil runs off from the surrounding land from rain and snowmelt, and fertilizes algae in the water. This can unleash a disastrous domino effect which causes once clear lakes to become choked by a thick, scummy mat of algae. Algae blooms like this have already happened in lakes near Augusta and Lewiston. TLEA wants to make sure it doesn’t happen on Thompson Lake.

In January 2010, TLEA received a two-year, $62,000 grant from Maine DEP to control erosion in Otisfield from the worst erosion sites that were identified in a 2008 watershed survey. The principal offenders were town and private roads. In the summer of 2010, TLEA focused on fixing problems at Cobb Hill Road, Jillson Camp Road, and Ohuivo Camp Road. Additionally, the Silvaqua Owners Association undertook improvements at its south beach, and many landowners generously contributed their time and supplies to fight erosion. The grant allows TLEA to share the costs of addressing erosion concerns with its partners.

All this work resulted in the reduction of erosion by an estimated 52 tons. This is more than half the total soil loss measured in Otisfield in the 2008 watershed survey, and the rough equivalent of keeping five double axle dump trucks full of soil out of the lake.

TLEA is busy this winter planning projects to continue the strong start it made in 2010. The grant ends in January 2012.