Watershed Protection Grant - 2006 Projects
2005 Minimizing Runoff at the Woodbury Pond Boat Launch - Carrie-Ricker Middle School
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Inspired by a field trip to Woodbury Pond where they learned about water quality testing and measuring water runoff from the shore, Helen Colbath's three science classes worked to design a plan to reduce the amount of runoff from the Woodbury Pond boat launch area and therefore protect the quality of the Pond's water. With help from Friends of Cobbossee Watershed, Maine DEP and permission from the Department of Conservation, the group of 47 students researched and designed several possible erosion control runoff at the site. After a meeting with George Powell of the DOC and consultation with an engineer, the students decided on multi-step approach to reducing water runoff at the site. First, they built a rubber razor bar that spans the width of the dirt road to divert a large amount of runoff from continuing down the dirt road and into the pond. Next, the students made a swale for the diverted water from the rubber razor bar to go into. To slow the water runoff as it runs down the hill in the swale, the students lined the swale with rocks. At the bottom of the swale the students made an apron or fan shape so that the runoff would be spread out over a wider area as it runs into the vegetated buffer area. As an added measure, the students planted additional shrubs to make sure there was enough of a buffer to filter the additional runoff before it enters the pond!
With lots of hard work researching and planning during the school year and a day of physical labor, these students have made a real difference in the quality of their local pond for all to enjoy!
2005 Biscay Pond Shoreline Buffer Planting - Great Salt Bay School
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The sixth graders at Great Salt Bay wanted to do an action project as a part of their annual River Features week at the end of April. To help educate their peers about the aspects of Watersheds and the sources and problems of polluted stormwater runoff, seven of the sixth graders formed a group to build their own watershed model. With assistance from Alison Macmillan, GSB Enrichment Specialist and Ashley Atwood of the Pemaquid Watershed Association, the group met after school several times a week to build the model and research sources of water pollution here in Maine. The group then presented their model to their peers in April during the River Features Week, the day before the buffer planting. Later in the spring they presented their watershed model to the public at the local library. Members of Pemaquid Watershed Association and Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association were invited as well as the general public.
A site along the shores of Biscay Pond was selected for the students buffer planting project. This site was ideal as it is well known by the students, adjacent to a public boat launch and experiences erosion into the Pond due to foot traffic, road run off and lack of vegetation. The sixth graders worked with local landscaper Chip Coffey to select plants appropriate for the soil and location and to develop a landscape plan. The day of the planting the entire sixth grade learned how to properly plant the shrubs and trees they had selected. After a morning of hard work, the portion of shore the students worked on was greatly enhanced with new vegetation. A sign posted near the plantings informs the public of the purpose of their hard work.
2005 Nokomis Pond Buffer Planting – Nokomis Regional High School
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Students of Jennifer Briggs Environmental Studies class decided to participate in a community-service action project to protect their local drinking water source, Nokomis Pond, in their preparation for the 2006 Envirothon. To decide on a location for their project, the 10-12 th grade students conducted a mini-watershed survey to locate any sources of erosion that may be contributing nutrients and pollutants to Nokomis Pond. The students located areas of erosion on the shores of Nokomis Pond in a field adjacent to the school. Since there was only a singe line of trees acting as a buffer in this particular location, students decided to plant bushes of various sizes and ground cover to bolster the filtering effect of the existing buffer. To incorporate more students into the project, the Environmental Studies class selected several local middle school students to help them on project planting day.
Community project partners from the Newport Water District, Maine Rural Water Association, Penobscot County Soil and Water Conservation District, and the Maine DEP, as well as a local shorefront property owner were all present the day of the planting to give the students a hand. Despite a hot spring day the students and their helpers worked hard for a full day of planting numerous almost 50 shrubs!
2005
Cochnewagon Lake Demonstration Project -
Monmouth Academy
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Andy Bosworth and the students of his 11 th and 12 th grades Ecology class designed and implemented a Watershed Protection Demonstration Project at the public beach area of Cochnewagon Lake in Monmouth. The students selected this local high foot traffic area after completing a Watershed Survey of nearby Wilson Pond and recognizing the lack of measures protecting the lake from sources of polluted stormwater runoff.
After extensive research into Lake Ecology, processes, sources of pollution and its effects, as well as methods to control erosion, the students designed and planned several measure to reduce runoff into the lake. The students replaced existing and missing rip rap with angular rip rap to stabilize and area of the shoreline. The students created a more defined and gentle sloped access area to the water- to limit foot traffic area as well as prepare the area for a future project installing a wheel-chair accessible water access ramp. Erosion control mix was added to areas of the shoreline in which the sod had become highly compacted and impervious, in the hopes of increasing the filtration of runoff. Lastly, the students planted numerous low shrubs along the shoreline to increase filtering of runoff and designate a “no mow” area.
The Monmouth Ecology students worked with a variety of community partners including Kennebec Soil and Water Conservation District, Friends of Cobbossee Watershed, the Maine DEP and the Monmouth Recreation Department.
