At Watchic Lake, we are lucky to have two long term volunteer lake monitors (Eileen and David Burnell) with over 20 years’ experience reporting on water quality in our lake. This year the Lake Stewards of Maine (formerly Maine VLMP) asked monitors to write about what it means to ...
One of our members was recently surprised to see a large group of loons on the lake – he counted 10 and photographed nine of them. Generally we have four loons on the lake (2 nesting pairs), with an occasional visiting loon. We do have two loon chicks this year as well. Our guess ...
Thank you to Watchic Lake Association volunteers Don and Martha Drew, and Agnes and Rick Wiggin for steering our Watchic Lake Ice Cream Boat! 200 ice cream cups and information on protecting the lake were handed out to folks along the shore. And thank your to Hannaford Supermarke ...
LakeSmart offers free opportunities for homeowners to learn how to manage their home and yard to improve the water quality of the lake. The primary focus of LakeSmart is to keep our water clean by stopping runoff into the lake (reducing the risk of algal blooms). This is done by ...
Sadly, one of the Middle Island loons was recently found dead on the lake. The loon was found on Sunday May 20th at about 11:00 am in the vicinity of 121 Hi Vu Drive. Based on its injuries it was likely struck by a propeller on or around May 20th . The Maine Warden service was co ...
Maine Audubon is starting a citizen science project this year to look at turtle roadkill in areas around the state (learn more here). As you may know, the Watchic Lake area is likely home to the endangered Blandings Turtles, so the more we know the better. The work required by vo ...
This recent satellite photo (click on the photo for a larger view) of North and East Ponds in central Maine shows how algal blooms impact water quality. The two lakes are similar in most respects but East Pond (right side) blooms yearly, threatening recreation and property values ...
The WLA is often asked why we need to manage and fund dam maintenance. The experience in the Maine towns of Readfield and Winthrop (on Maranacook Lake) provide good examples of why dam maintenance and occasionally major repairs are needed. The towns rebuilt their dam more than 20 ...
The dam functioned flawlessly for another year. As a reminder, the dam is opened to lower the water level on about October 15 (generally Columbus Day), and is closed again to raise the water level shortly after ice-out (between mid-April and early-May). This helps to avoid shore ...
This year, two baby loons were born on the east end of the lake. We are happy to report that the two chicks are successfully finding food on their own, look healthy and are exploring the entire lake. The island loons did build and sit on a nest but, the fate of the one baby is u ...
The Ice Cream Boat returns the afternoon of Saturday August 10. Listen for that lovely jingle! This...
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The Maine Audubon Loon Count took place on Watchic Lake Saturday morning, July 20. The loon count is...
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