2015 Watchic Lake Survey Verbatim Comments

The following comments are taken verbatim from the survey forms. To ensure privacy, information regarding the identity of the respondent has been removed. Response categories were defined by the WLA based on the type of responses.

Dam Comments

  • Already completed or is more work needed?
  • Dam: glad for your vigilance
  • Didn’t we fix the dam?
  • Has safety been a problem in the past? Does fence sign satisfy insurance requirements?
  • Hasn’t this been done already?
  • Still don’t understand why boats and wharfs are tied up at dam site – diverts water flow
  • Thought we did this and paid for it?

Paine Neighborhood Comments

  • Didn’t we fix this?
  • Need a new breeding ground for mosquitos? Surprised # of horses wasn’t limited when so many other restrictions on the lake

Capital Fund Comments

  • No permanent solution to mifoil is introduced. Keep public access limited

Boating – Risk of Invasives and Water Quality

  • Boat ramps from right of ways; the impact of private roads to right of way; and erosion of property either side of the boat launch.
  • Boats entered through owner’s properties are monitored. Are they entering legally? Renters who put boats/kayaks? Last summer a boat was on the lake and leaked a huge (1/2 mile long) gasoline slick.
  • Boats entering the lake illegally. Fear of contaminants like milfoil
  • Restricting use of jet skis on the lake. Real threat for invasive plants
  • We have several people put in at Restaurant on Rt 113. Boats with motors/paddle boats. How can this be stopped?
  • Without foreign boats entering, H2O should be easy to address
  • Keeping public access only at Kiwanis beach to help ensure health of lake.
  • Monitoring boat launch areas
  • More personal responsibility for checking guest boats.

Boating – Noise and safety

  • More F&G Warden presence for boats getting bigger and fast. Plus jet ski activity.
  • Stop jet skis
  • Enforce regulations on speed and noise
  • Motor craft safety. Low.no wake education near shore. Boater etiquette
  • Noise from watercraft important by presently infrequent
  • Watchic Lake is a small lake. I would be in favor of working towards limiting boat horsepower (<50 hp?) and a limit on slalom course on the lake.
  • The newly formed Watchic Lake ski club is not in harmony with the lake.

Boating – other

  • Easier access for owner to put boat in and out.

Run off

  • Run off from driveways and roads, house (cottage lots), etc. directly into the lake. Education and hands-on demonstration and assistance.
  • Runoff containment, road buffers, and other watershed protection systems are imperative to the health of wildlife in the lake. This should be a major focus.
  • What is happening to the shorefront and runoff.
  • Working on poorly functioning septic systems.

Water quality

  • Maintaining and improving water quality should be priority for WLA
  • Quality of water
  • Surface scum and other organic matter washing out of east end inlet and blowing east to shore of lake because lily pads and other aquatic plants in the swamp have been killed or removed by adjacent camp owners. East cove turning into a swamp because of this.

Property values and upkeep

  • Lake owners with reduced access to lake will deteriorate value
  • Lakefront property not affordable by local families. Properties being purchased by out of staters. Loss of generational ownership and small town identity. Please obtain funding for litigation of EPA violations and other water quality violations
  • Property – building and land maintenance and improvements. Lack of interested / competent new board members. Ignorance of critical issues by half the property owners. Historic bad chemistry of some individuals and groups towards others.
  • Report to town suspected building and/or land clearing violations
  • Road 19 road maintenance. I’m on [road] and they don’t maintain my drive to camp, can’t get in. I have an issue to pay for Road Service

WLA

  • The primary focus of the WLA should be the maintenance of the dam. Environmental issues should remain the responsibility of the state and local government for standards and enforcement. The establishment of a significant emergency fund should not be necessary.
  • Will WLA have a booth at Standish Summer Spectacular? Prefer annual meeting not be held on a Saturday in July – rare opportunity to actively enjoy the lake.
  • Would like website to be more informative and updated much more frequently.
  • Good survey. Should engage people into process of maintaining the lake quality.
  • The lake is better now than at any time that I have lived here/ Great job WLA Board Members!!
  • You had no right putting a lock on the gate by the dam. There was never anyone hurt or any legal ramifications. Remove the lock and I will join your association.
  • Focus less on putting locks on the gate and making the trail usable for my family and young son. I will never support an association that makes it hard to enjoy the beautiful path I was allowed to use.
  • Getting new people on the Board of Directors
  • We should do all this via email if possible. Thank you for your service to the community. I am happy to answer any assoc legal questions, with the understanding that I am a Texas lawyer and licensed in ME.
  • I strongly believe that the Watchic Lake should be affiliated with the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program, which we did for 26+ years. The cost is minimal. The importance of the trends in the first in the nation program cannot be disregarded. We were so disappointed that our data from 26 years not added upon. Testing the water a couple of times a year is NOT THE SAME. If people are concerned about the lake, then find someone willing to dedicate 2Xmonths/5months for real data. If we would we could, but we did this for 26 years because we love Watchic.

Membership

  • Mandating membership fees to all lakefront owners. The same people [always] support the association
  • More membership (low number of members as a % of owners vs other lake associations)
  • I care and will do my part to help protect Watchic Lake!
  • I also think $35 will prevent many locals from joining -this is more money to some than others.
  • Radio controlled airplanes, speedboat races.

Why Not a Member Comments

  • Supported dam project, so let membership slide.
  • Did not renew last year. Just oversight
  • Have no access to the lake
  • If not, oversight
  • Not sure if dues paid last year
  • Not sure what WLA did or time or task commitment would be as a member. Also didn’t have time before due to multiple job to afford a house near lake
  • Not sure. Enclosing [for] 2015/16

Education

  • Continue efforts to 1) educate land owners re water quality issues and 2) build community spirit
  • Educate on lawn care and pesticide use
  • Education/information are keys. We know about the concerns and we love this lake

Fishing

  • Game fish stocked in lake
  • Get lake stocked with trout

Kiwanis

  • Kiwanis beach – more restrooms close to beach to avoid bad water quality

Other

  • Loon annoyed by power vehicles.
  • If you cover top concerns, loon/fish population will be address
  • Watchic Lake is our neighborhood. I still don’t see enough “neighborly interest” participation in the very important issues listed here.