Midcoast Conservancy will be awarded $127,478 to correct erosion and runoff issues which threaten to pollute the vulnerable water quality of Damariscotta Lake. Beginning in 2017, this grant will help fund construction projects to redirect and treat polluted storm water runoff before it reaches Damariscotta Lake. The grant is being awarded by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, with funds being provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act. Funding is awarded annually to construct projects which protect water bodies with poor water quality or protect waters vulnerable to pollution by runoff.

“This is fantastic news for everyone who enjoys and uses Damariscotta Lake,” said Garrison Beck, Watershed Protection Specialist at Midcoast Conservancy, who authored the grant proposal. “Not only will this grant help protect the water quality of the lake, but it will also show what landowners can do themselves to limit polluted runoff from their properties.” The vast majority of this grant will be used for construction work on a cost-share basis, where grant funds will be available to help landowners install projects to keep runoff out of the lake. “This can be a strong incentive to fix large-scale erosion issues which typically come with a high price tag,” says Beck. Towns, road associations, and private landowners are all eligible for cost-sharing under this grant.

Midcoast Conservancy is committed to assisting private and public landowners alike in keeping Damariscotta Lake one of our most precious assets in Lincoln County. The Midcoast Conservancy Youth Conservation Corps program has already been working for two years to prevent too much soil and the nutrients within it from reaching the water. The nutrients that are naturally present in soil, the same ones that make gardens grow, also grow more algae when they reach the water through soil erosion and waste water. Over time, this can cause large algae blooms like the ones seen in China Lake. With the help of this grant and many community partners, Midcoast Conservancy will continue working to keep Damariscotta Lake a valuable resource for everyone to enjoy.