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2020 Belgrade Lakes Association annual report

The Belgrade Lakes Association is proudly Maine’s oldest lake association, established in 1908 to protect and improve the watershed of Great Pond and Long Pond through preservation, education and action. We are grateful for the Town of Belgrade’s support in helping us do this work. Despite COVID-19, in 2020 we spent more than ever to protect our lakes at a time when we were losing key revenues. In 2020, we:

  • Contributed $120,000 to our fight against milfoil and pulled more than 33,000 gallons of vegetation – the most gallons ever – from Great Pond.
  • Paid for the lake management plan of Great Pond and, likewise, funded and coordinated the Long Pond survey.
  • Co-funded with 7 Lakes Alliance a new erosion control manager to work on sites identified in our two surveys.
  • Funded courtesy boat inspectors at the Great Pond and Long Pond boat launches to search watercraft for milfoil fragments 12 hours a day from Memorial Day through Labor Day at a cost of $33,880.
  • Continued to support the Youth Conservation Corps, who work on erosion control projects.
  • Established a Septic Committee to address older systems affecting the waterfront.
  • Initiated a rebate program for inspected septic systems and buffers installed along the shoreline.
  • Continued our five-year loon preservation plan to monitor our loons and develop a comprehensive plan to support and grow the loon population in a sustainable manner.

We are working to maintain and improve water quality by keeping phosphorus out of the lakes. Water runs downhill and takes dirt with it, and that is a huge problem.

We will be looking for everyone’s support in helping to REVERSE THE TREND in water clarity and to KEEP THE DIRT OUT OF THE LAKES. We will be conducting seminars and training on ways to help accomplish our goals. Visit belgradelakesassociation.org for more information and to join us in our endeavors. We want to ensure the lakes remain clear and enjoyable for our children, grandchildren and generations to come!

Respectfully submitted,

Carol Johnson, BLA President