| INTERMISSION |
| Slide 2 |
| Background |
| 275 acres | |
| Opened in 1993 | |
| Located in Canaan and Skowhegan | |
| Run by non-profit Lake George Corporation | |
| Funded by entrance fees, grants, and donations |
| "Facilities" |
| Facilities | |
| 3 Parking Lots | |
| Restrooms | |
| Boat Launch | |
| Beach | |
| Tennis Court | |
| Activities | |
| Swimming | |
| Hiking | |
| Boating | |
| Tennis | |
| Cross-country Skiing | |
| Snowmobiling | |
| Fishing | |
| "Facilities" |
| Facilities | |
| Parking Lot | |
| Restrooms | |
| Beach | |
| Picnic Area | |
| Basketball and Tennis Courts | |
| Activities | |
| Swimming | |
| Hiking | |
| Tennis | |
| Basketball | |
| Snowmobiling | |
| Fishing |
| Education |
| Vernal Pools |
| Ephemeral wetlands | |
| Do not support a fish population | |
| Characteristic species | |
| Endangered ecosystems |
| Archaeology |
| Dig in 1994 | ||
| Brief occupation of multiple cultural groups | ||
| 8,000 years ago | ||
| Split cobble | ||
| Gray rhyolite cobblestones | ||
| Kineo hammer stones | ||
| "Park Traffic" |
| Park Traffic | |
| 4,000 visitors in 1993 | |
| 26,000 visitors in 2001 | |
| Potentially more visitors next year |
| Park Septic Systems |
| West septic system built in 1994 | |
| East septic system built in 1997 | |
| Imbalance of use between East and West | |
| East leach field close to shoreline |
| Access Road |
| Close proximity to shoreline | |
| Enhances breakdown and erosion of shoreline |
| Public Boat Launch |
| Access for runoff and sediment entering Lake George | |
| Nutrient loading-phosphorus | |
| Dirt surface | |
| Width | |
| Gravel Parking Lots |
| Close proximity to lake | |
| Erosion potential | |
| Source of sedimentation and nutrient loading | |
| Catch basin | |
| Problems Associated with General Recreational Use |
| Motor Boating | ||
| Noise and pollution | ||
| Ice Fishing | ||
| Water contamination | ||
| Illegal ATV use | ||
| Snowmobiles | ||
| Ecologically Sound Stewardship |
| East Side Berm | |
| Trail Maintenance | |
| Use Regulations |
| Park Summary |
| Resources for recreational and educational opportunities | |
| Sound ecological stewardship | |
| Future management should focus on minimizing the impact of recreational uses on lake water quality | |
| Water Chemistry |
| Meghan Kreider |
| Water Budget |
| Flushing Rates: | ||
| Lake George = 0.85 flushes/yr | ||
| Oaks Pond = 4.91 flushes/yr | ||
| Sampling Sites |
| Lake George | ||
| 4 Characterization Sites | ||
| 7 Spot Sites | ||
| 2 tributaries | ||
| 1 outlet | ||
| Oaks Pond | ||
| 1 Characterization Site | ||
| 4 Spot Sites | ||
| 2 tributaries | ||
| 1 outlet | ||
| Water Quality Parameters |
| Physical Tests | ||
| Color | ||
| Conductivity | ||
| Dissolved oxygen | ||
| pH | ||
| Temperature | ||
| Transparency | ||
| Turbidity | ||
| Biological Tests | ||
| Chlorophyll a | ||
| Coliform bacteria | ||
| Chemical Tests | ||
| Alkalinity | ||
| Hardness | ||
| Heavy Metals | ||
| Nitrates | ||
| Total Phosphorus | ||
| Volatile Organic Compounds | ||
| Lake George Dissolved Oxygen |
| Important for biological activity | |
| 2001 readings from 10 to 0 ppm | |
| Oxygen depletion in hypolimnion | |
| Implications for fisheries |
| Oaks Pond Dissolved Oxygen |
| 2001 data from 8.0 to 0.2 ppm | |
| Marked levels of oxygen depletion at depth | |
| Implications for fisheries | |
| Potential for internal recycling of phosphorus |
| Transparency |
| Measures water clarity as an indicator of trophic state | ||
| 2001 mean depth values | ||
| Lake George = 5.8 m | ||
| Oaks Pond = 6.0 m | ||
| Both lakes are mesotrophic | ||
| 4.0 to 7.0 m | ||
| Selected Test Results |
| Turbidity | |||
| Normal < 50 NTU | |||
| Mean values | |||
| Lake George = 0.63 NTU | |||
| Oaks Pond = 0.67 NTU | |||
| Color | |||
| Uncolored < 30 SPU | |||
| Mean values | |||
| Lake George = 23 SPU | |||
| Oaks Pond = 21 SPU | |||
| Conductivity | |||
| Normal: 20-40 µMHOs/cm | |||
| Mean values | |||
| Lake George = 25.6 µMHOs/cm | |||
| Oaks Pond = 35.1 µMHOs/cm | |||
| Nitrates | |||
| Normal ≤1 ppm | |||
| Mean values | |||
| Lake George = 0.06 ppm | |||
| Oaks Pond = 0.06 ppm | |||
| Selected Test Results (continued) |
| pH | |||
| Measure of the relative acidity of water | |||
| Mean values | |||
| Lake George = 7.14 | |||
| Oaks Pond = 7.06 | |||
| Water of both lakes is neutral | |||
| Alkalinity | |||
| Measure of the buffering capacity of water | |||
| Mean values | |||
| Lake George = 8.73 ppm | |||
| Oaks Pond = 3.73 ppm | |||
| Importance of monitoring in future | |||
| Selected Test Results (continued) |
| Heavy Metals | |||
| Potential toxicity to humans and aquatic organisms | |||
| Reasons for testing | |||
| Spot Site 12 none detected | |||
| Spot Site 9 arsenic = 0.02 ppm | |||
| Well water creating overflow is not advisable for drinking water | |||
| Selected Test Results (continued) |
| Hardness | |||
| Concentration of cations (primarily Ca2+ and Mg2+) in water | |||
| Mean | |||
| Lake George = 4.17 ppm | |||
| Oaks Pond = 3.78 ppm | |||
| Soft water lakes | |||
| Phosphorus |
| Limiting nutrient | |
| Critical levels 12 to 15 ppb |
| Lake George Historical Data (MDEP) |
| Summer range: 6.0 to 9.5 ppb | |
| Fall range: 5.0 to 9.0 ppb |
| Lake George Phosphorus |
| Fall 2001 | ||
| Surface = 9.0 ppb | ||
| Bottom = 11.3 ppb | ||
| Spot Sites | ||
| Site 5 | ||
| Site 12 | ||
| Oaks Pond Historical Data (MDEP) |
| Surface range: 8.0 - 9.0 ppb | |
| Bottom range: 6.0 - 18.0 ppb | |
| Potential internal recycling |
| Oaks Pond Phosphorus |
| Spot Sites | ||
| Mean = 11.3 ppb | ||
| Characterization Site 8 | ||
| Surface = 8.7 ppb | ||
| Bottom = 40.5 ppb | ||
| Water Chemistry Summary |
| Trend of oxygen depletion in hypolimnion | |
| Phosphorus loading may be a greater problem in Oaks Pond | |
| Longer recovery time of Lake George |
| "Sarah Bostick" |
| Sarah Bostick |
| Phosphorus Loading Model |
| Predicts total phosphorus concentrations | |||
| Predicts relative phosphorus loading from each input category | |||
| Input categories: | |||
| Land use patterns | |||
| Atmosphere | |||
| Septic systems | |||
| Soil retention potential | |||
| Predicts impact of future development | |||
| Phosphorus Loading Model (continued) |
| Creating the Model | |||
| Area of input categories | |||
| Export coefficients | |||
| Surface area of the lake | |||
| Annual total water inflow | |||
| Number capita years | |||
| Slide 37 |
| Slide 38 |
| Phosphorus Loading Model (continued) |
| Calculated phosphorus level: | |||
| Lake George: | |||
| Phosphorus Model: 8.6 ppb | |||
| CEAT data: 8.8 ppb | |||
| Oaks Pond: | |||
| Phosphorus Model: 9.1 ppb | |||
| CEAT data: 8.7 ppb | |||
| Slide 40 |
| Future Development |
| The map is created | ||
| from multiple layers: | ||
| Water bodies | ||
| Roads | ||
| Wetlands | ||
| Watershed boundaries | ||
| Tax maps | ||
| Future Development (continued) |
| Most growth is expected in Canaan | ||
| Lake George Regional Park | ||
| Limited Residential District | ||
| Shoreline development | ||
| Non-shoreline development | ||
| Successional habitat changes | ||
| Phosphorus Model Projections |
| Demographic Changes | ||
| Conversion of homes from seasonal to year round | ||
| Increase in year round shoreline and | ||
| non-shoreline homes | ||
| Decrease in mature and transitional forests | ||
| More roads | ||
| Logging | ||
| Increase in cleared and regenerating land | ||
| Decrease in mature and transitional forests | ||
Phosphorus Model Projections Lake George Watershed Current level = 8.6 ppb |
| Low demographic change | ||
| = 9.0 ppb | ||
| Low demographic change with logging | ||
| = 10.5 ppb | ||
| High demographic change | ||
| = 9.5 ppb | ||
| High demographic change with logging | ||
| = 11.0 ppb | ||
Oaks Pond Watershed Current Level = 9.1 ppb |
| Low demographic change | ||
| = 9.3 ppb | ||
| Low demographic change with logging | ||
| = 9.4 ppb | ||
| High demographic change | ||
| = 9.5 ppb | ||
| High demographic change with logging | ||
| = 9.6 ppb | ||
| Summary of Phosphorus Modeling and Future Projections |
| The highest relative phosphorus contributors include roads, shoreline and non-shoreline homes, commercial and municipal land, Lake George Regional Park, agricultural lands, cleared lands, and septic systems | |
| Development and logging will increase phosphorus loading but probably not to the critical limit |
| Conclusions and Recommendations |
| Jon Weber |
| Conclusions |
| Overall water quality | |
| Land use | |
| Future projections | |
| Town and community concern |
| Phosphorus Control |
| Buffer Strips and Erosion Reduction | ||
| Improve shoreline buffer strips | ||
| Shoreline footpaths | ||
| Minimize impervious surfaces and lawns | ||
| Roads | ||
| Road associations | ||
| Hire DEP certified contractors | ||
| Shoreline and higher risk roads near water should take priority in repair | ||
| Phosphorus Control (continued) |
| Boat Launches | |||
| Lake George | |||
| Reduce width | |||
| Install water diversions | |||
| Different surface | |||
| Oaks Pond | |||
| Install community launch | |||
| "Septic Systems" |
| Septic Systems | ||
| Conduct survey to assess the overall quality of septic systems | ||
| Upgrade old systems | ||
| Coordinate with DEP for potential grant money | ||
| Regular maintenance | ||
| Land Use | ||
| Logging | ||
| Shoreline development | ||
| Erosion areas | ||
| Lake George Regional Park |
| Continued education uses | ||
| Community and school programs | ||
| Vernal pools | ||
| Natural history trail guide | ||
| Archaeological site | ||
| Trail maintenance and signage | ||
| Minimize impact of winter activities | ||
| Lake George Access Rd. East | ||
| Minimize erosion by buffering roadside | ||
| Reduce visitor parking along access road | ||
| Runoff from gravel parking lots | ||
| Invasive Species |
| Educate boat owners | |
| Post signs near all boat launches | |
| Remove and properly dispose of all plant material |
| Fish Populations |
| Stock brown trout | |
| Monitor harvesting | |
| More stringent regulations | |
| Monitor mid-summer oxygen depletion |
| Community Awareness |
| Lake associations | |
| Distribution of best management practices to all shoreline residents | |
| Volunteer monitoring |
| Acknowledgements |
| Forrest Bonney | |
| Roy Bouchard | |
| Russell Cole | |
| Jeff Dennis | |
| Steve Dionne | |
| Frank Fekete | |
| David Firmage | |
| Bev Fitzsimmons | |
| Randy Gray | |
| Karen Hahnel | |
| Bob Hubbard | |
| Jeff Macabe | |
| Tom Marcotte | |
| Pam Parker | |
| Judy Potvin | |
| William Reid | |
| James Stahlnecker | |
| Dan Tierney | |
| Nancy Warren |
| Slide 57 |