TURNER — The Little Wilson Pond Improvement Association has honored Lynne Richard and the Lake Auburn Watershed Protection Commission for partnering with its homeowners to improve the water quality in both the pond and Lake Auburn. Little Wilson Pond is a tributary to Lake Auburn, the source of drinking water for the cities.

From 2015 to 2017, homeowners, the commission and the Town of Turner partnered to reduce runoff from the road and the properties surrounding the pond. Work was completed at 12 locations, including the installation of two culverts, 12 feet in diameter, to manage water flowing into the pond.

These projects cost $156,400, with 60 percent of the funding coming from federal grants.  The remaining funds came from property owners and other assistance.

 “This is an excellent example of how communities can work together to preserve the natural resources of Maine,” says Julia Jozwiak, president of the pond association.  “While the residents of Little Wilson Pond rely on well water, we know the citizens of Lewiston and Auburn rely on us to help keep their drinking water clean.”

The watershed commission’s role is to protect the quality of the water in Lake Auburn, which avoids the costlier option of installing a filtration system.  As a part of these efforts, the water quality in Little Wilson Pond is monitored monthly during the open water season.

Members of the pond association attended the commission’s April meeting to award a Certificate of Appreciation to Lynne Richard, its outreach coordinator, who worked directly with the homeowners on the pond.

Richard began advising homeowners about the importance of installing lake friendly plantings that capture runoff.  Then the commission worked with the state Department of Environmental Protection and the federal government to obtain funding.

“It was a challenging grant for sure, but it was made easier by meeting and working with the association members, who are engaged, active stewards willing to spend time and money to do what’s right for the pond,” says Richard.

The state Department of Environmental Protection has determined that these projects will have a major impact on reducing erosion into Lake Auburn. 

The federal funding came from the Clean Water Act, which is administered through the Environmental Protection Agency. Under the provisions of the law, the agency helps state and local governments manage runoff from roadways, called non-source pollution.

Julia Jozwiak, left, president of the Little Wilson Pond Improvement Association, honors Lynne Richard of the Lake Auburn Watershed Protection Commission for her work with property owners on the pond to reduce runoff into both the pond and Lake Auburn.

This culvert, 12 feet in diameter, was installed under Little Wilson Pond Road to reduce runoff into the pond, which is a tributary to Lake Auburn, the drinking water source for Lewiston and Auburn.