May 2023
Hello Harriman Pond neighbors! The ice was reported out on April 15 this year and that means spring is here! Now, many of us are thinking about spending time on Harriman Pond. Some folks have already been spotted out on the water.
We wanted to give you some important updates.
COMMUNITY: First, it was clear from the gathering of lake landowners last August (photo above) that there is a vibrant community around the lake. We would like to build on the momentum with another event this summer and establish a “Lake Association”.
LAKE ASSOCIATION? A lake association is all about community, education, and helping to keep the lake clean and clear. It will help us to organize community events and protect our beloved pond. There is NO regulatory or enforcement part of an association. There was some excitement about this at the gathering last August, but we want to continue to spread the word and talk to folks around the pond to see if we can establish the association this summer.
SURVEY: We need your input if we are going to establish a lake association. Membership would be voluntary, but dues would help offset the functions of the association (education resources, newsletter, the annual water quality testing, and our website).
PLEASE complete survey in 1 of 3 ways (QR code, link, or written):
Link: bit.ly/harrimanpond
1. What do you think of our proposed mission statement:
Harriman Pond Lake Association (HPLA) will work with landowners around the pond to protect and improve the water quality of the pond and watershed through education, action, and preservation while respecting the interests of property owners and providing the opportunity for fellowship among association members.
2. Are you interested in participating in a Harriman Pond lake association?
3. What would you like to see from a lake association?
4. Would you be willing to contribute annual dues of up to $30 to a lake association?
5. What questions or suggestions do you have about protecting the lake?
Updates:
Branch Lake Watershed 319 grant
BACKGROUND: Branch Lake Association submitted a Watershed Grant Proposal (“319 Grant”) to support efforts to reduce stormwater impacts to Branch Lake in 2022 and was recently approved. Since Harriman Pond is within the watershed of Branch Lake we are part of the grant. The 319 Grant will partially support projects designed to reduce stormwater runoff pollution to Branch Lake and Harriman Pond! This could help us keep Harriman Pond in the top tier of Maine lakes.
The grant application was a natural extension of the work started in 2021 when Harriman Pond joined the Watershed Survey of Branch Lake to identify stormwater runoff problems that impacted the quality of the water. Now, we can identify important projects that will help maintain the quality and clarity of Branch Lake and Harriman Pond. The 319 Grant was received from Maine Department of Environmental Protection (Maine DEP) and will be administered by Hancock County Soil and Water Conservation District (HCSWCD). A steering committee from Branch Lake, with Harriman Pond representatives, will serve as the conduit evaluating each Road and/or Property project, and then submitting qualifying projects to HCSWCD for review and grant funding approval. Areas of emphasis for this 319 Grant are roadways, driveways, and shoreline buffers.
THE REVIEW PROCESS: Improvement/remediation projects should be brought forward by individual property owners (i.e., the “Project Sponsor”). The Town of Dedham is also looking into improvements on Bald Mountain Road to address runoff, with help from the grant. The grant team will perform an evaluation using LakeSmart criteria (see https://www.lakes.me/lakesmart for more information) to determine if it meets the criteria for the Grant and then forward the information to HCSWCD to review and draft the 319 Grant paperwork (the cost-sharing agreement). Projects are typically done as a 50:50 cost share (50% Grant funded/50% Project Sponsor equity). Note that Project Sponsor labor can be included as part of the Project Sponsor’s 50% contribution. Some examples are planting buffer strips, building infiltration steps that slow down water, or improving drainage around driveways.
HOW DOES THIS WORK FOR AN INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNER? The grant’s emphasis on driveways and shoreline buffers encourages Property Owners to apply for funding to reduce runoff from these areas on your property. If you received a letter from the Watershed Survey, or simply believe that your property may have a situation that contributes to runoff pollution, please reach out to us at harrimanpondmaine@gmail.com We will contact you to schedule a LakeSmart survey of your property to evaluate your particular situation, discuss what possible alternatives are reasonable for your situation and next steps. A reminder that this is voluntary and aimed at improving and maintaining the great water quality in the lake!
Harriman Pond Loons & other critters
Photo: A. Maruggi, https://commons.wikimedia.org/
Platform: When the ice went out this spring there were soon two loons spotted on Harriman Pond. It would be nice to have one or two babies again this summer! Predators destroyed their nest last year and high water the year before. Owners on Moulton Pond helped build a floating platform to protect the loons from predators last year. This year the experts from Maine Audubon helped build a floating platform and advised about the best place to put it. The platform was launched on May 9th. The State of Maine Annual Loon Count is on the 3rd Saturday of July every year. Cathy Anderson has led these efforts for many years and welcomes you to join her.
https://lakesofmaine.org/loons.html
Lake water quality monitoring
Sarah Nelson will start checking the water clarity around Memorial Day, and about every 2 weeks thereafter. This is our regular monitoring to track how the lake’s water quality is doing. If anyone is interested in joining in to see the process, please let us know. You could also go through the training and certification to take over some of the monitoring if you are interested.
Did you see freshwater jellyfish last fall? Several folks noticed them, and lake resident Belle put together a report with great background information.
Freshwater Jellyfish spotted in Harriman Pond last summer
Written by Belle G.
Freshwater Jellyfishes are species of Jellyfish that are found in freshwater ponds and lakes. They are very small, about the size of a dime or a quarter, and not many people know about them, as they only come out every couple of years. Freshwater Jellyfish are an appealing shade of blue, almost teal. They have a white criss-cross pattern on the upper side of the Jellyfish. They are only about the size of a dime or a penny, the biggest being the size of a quarter. They are in groups of hundreds, so it is relatively easy to spot, and they are quite a beautiful sight.
Freshwater Jellyfish (Craspedacusta Sowerbii) are first thought to have originated in the Yangtze River in China. It is an invasive species in the United States, it is now found in 44 states and Worldwide. It has now become part of the United States and the World’s ecosystems. They are here to stay and there isn’t much we can do to stop it. First spotted in 1963 in Maine, they have spread all over Maine’s lakes, gravel water-filled quarries, and even man-made bodies of freshwater, including in canals. They do not like fast-flowing water. The best time to find and observe them is August and September. They travel in groups called “blooms”. They are found in Maine in places such as Aroostook River, parts of the Penobscot, Kennebec and Androscoggin.
Freshwater Jellyfish eat zooplankton that they find floating around them. It uses some part of their body called a nematocysts, which are located on their tentacles. They paralyze their prey and bring it up to their mouth to eat their prey. Their food is relatively small, as it ranges somewhere between 0.2 to 2.0 millimeters. To start, an adult jellyfish’s egg becomes a planula, and the planula attaches to the body of water’s bottom. It then develops into a polyp. Then the polyp becomes a budding polyp, which then transforms into a ephyra, an immature jellyfish. The Immature jellyfish develops into an adult jellyfish, who lays more eggs and the cycle begins all over. They live for one or two years. If the condition is rough, they can transform into podocysts, which is a few cells in a hard shell.
Thank you for all you do to protect the lake! Looking forward to seeing you all this summer.
Hans Kersten, Sarah Nelson
Contact us at: harrimanpondmaine@gmail.com
Citations for Jellyfish Survey:
1. Maine Lakes FreshWater Jellyfish! mainelakes.org
4.https://www.google.com/searchq=what+do+freshwater+jellyfish+eat&rlz
5. https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/invertebrates/jellyfish-lifecycle-and-reproduction
6.https://www.google.com/searchq=how+long+do+freshwater+jellyfish+live&rlz=1CAIGZW_enUS909US 909&ei=