As many Watchic Lake residents are aware there have not been any loon chicks at the Paine Brook (south) end of the lake since 2018. The WLA Environmental Committee and Lee Attix of Loon Conservation Associates believes this is because the traditional nesting site in the Paine Brook inlet was washed out a few years back. Working with Lee Attix, the WLA was able to secure one of the prototypes for a new loon nesting raft design developed by volunteers
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Watchic Lake is fortunate to have one or two loon families on the lake each year (specifically “Common Loons”). After spending the winter on the Maine coast, they have already arrived shortly after ice out, They generally nest on one of the islands or in the swamp. Each year they parade their chicks for us to enjoy. Maine Audubon provides a wonderful poster on how to live with loons. You can find it here: Living in Loon Territory. Check it
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The dam functioned flawlessly over the past winter. This year the dam was closed March 27, 2021 shortly after ice out on March 27 (which is one of the earlier ice-out dates we have seen). There has been little rain recently, and little is forecast for the middle of April, so the raising the lake to the summer full pond level may take two to four weeks, depending on the weather. As a reminder, to address seasonal changes the dam
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Invasive zebra mussels – Destroy! Do Not Dump. Zebra mussels have been found in “moss balls,” an aquarium plant product sold in Maine. Moss balls are commonly sold under trade names such as “Betta Buddy.” Zebra mussels, which so far have not become established in Maine, are one of the most destructive invasive species in North America. Zebra mussels can quickly take over once they get established in a waterbody and cause significant damage including disrupting the food chain, changing
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Many of us do not have a chance to experience Watchic Lake during the winter, and certainly not from thousands of feet in the air. The photos below give sense of how precious our lake is, and how life continues on the lake…even in the winter time. Click on any image to start the slide show. Compliments and thanks to Kyle Damon of Damon Aerial Imagery for these beautiful photos of Watchic Lake.
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2021 Fishing Laws Available Online Being a responsible user of the Maine outdoors means staying informed of, and complying with, the current laws and rules. It’s easy, just touch or click 2021 Maine Inland Fishing Laws to download the booklet. New ways to find the special fishing laws Want to check to see if a waterbody has special fishing laws? Check the Maine IFW website for an easy to use searchable database of special fishing laws. You can search for
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In late 2020, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the US Environmental Protection Agency approved our application for funds to improve Watchic Lake water quality by reducing polluted runoff into the lake. This is great news for the lake and for property owners wishing to leverage federal funds to improve their property. This matching grant is designed to support two town culvert improvements, three road association improvements, and about six residential property improvements. This grant encompasses work totaling $124,434,
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Thank you for your interest. Request for submissions is now closed. The Watchic Lake Association (WLA) is inviting responses from private sector consultants interested in entering into an agreement to administer projects related to grant funding issued by the State of Maine Department of Environmental Protection titled “Watchic Lake Protection Project, Phase I.” Submission Deadline: January 15, 2021 no later than 4:00 p.m.; contract award: January 29, 2021; and project finish: December 31, 2022. Click our touch here for the
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Thank you to the members who voted on whether or not to change the fall dam opening date. The Watchic Lake dam is owned and maintained by the Watchic Lake Dam LLC. 77% of those members who responded agreed with the suggestion from some lake residents to move the dam opening date from the mid-October date of Columbus Day to November 1. Most members agreed and commented that the later opening date would allow property owners to enjoy boating on
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As you know we had two loon chicks hatched on Saturday, July 18. Loon chicks are considered “fledged” at 6 weeks so August 29 will mark that stage of their lives. Both chicks seem to be doing well and spend most of their time between Middle Island and the south shore of the lake to the west of the Kiwanis Beach. Please be extra careful when boating through this area, especially at high speeds as the chicks are still quite
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This listing includes events happening on Watchic Lake or in Standish. Many other regional events ca...
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The Standish Fish and Game Club will host a Boating Safety Course instructed by volunteers for the M...
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