Taylor Pond Watershed Survey a Success

We had a successful day despite drenching rain, wind and cool weather, we visited over 800 properties in the watershed. We had seven teams of three or more people who spread out over the area in seven separate sectors to cover over 13 square miles. A technical expert led each team, four paid for by Taylor Pond Association (TPA) and three paid for by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Twenty-four volunteers provided valuable assistance. A team with Alaina Chormann from the DEP, Emma Lorusso from Androscoggin Soil and Water Conservation District; Barbara Mitchell and Dana Little from the board of Taylor Pond Association, led the effort. Results will be tabulated by Emma and presented to TPA when completed. Sites of soil erosion into the pond were identified and each given a priority score based on the severity of the problem. Once the final report is completed, the TPA board will have a blueprint on how to keep our pond healthy.

The survey team before heading out.
A survey site being photographed and prioritized.
Walking a property to assess for erosion.

Volunteers Needed for Taylor Pond Watershed Survey June 3rd

Taylor Pond Association (TPA) plans to conduct a watershed survey on Saturday June 3rd.  The last survey was conducted in 2006. We are working with the Department of Environmental Protection and the Androscoggin Soil and Water Conservation District.  The goal is to identify areas of erosion that carry phosphorus into Taylor Pond which can cause a decline in water quality. 

Using the results of this survey, individuals and road associations can then apply for grants from TPA or through Maine’s DEP 319 grant program to fix identified problems. 

The Information collected will not be used for enforcement or regulatory purposes.  A follow-up letter will be sent to owners identified as having a significant problem with information on how to obtain help to fix the problem. 

We have contracted with seven technical experts who will be leading teams of two to three volunteers on each of seven sectors in the Taylor Pond watershed areas of Minot and Auburn.  We will be visiting every property in the area unless the owner opts out.We are looking for volunteers.  Each volunteer will be trained in a live Zoom/webinar on May 31st from 1-3 pm or with a video at your convenience.  If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Dana Little at [email protected].

Click here to see a map of Taylor Pond watershed.

2022 Taylor Pond Water Quality Report

This report summarizes the findings of the 2022 water quality monitoring program for Taylor Pond in Auburn, Maine (MIDAS ID#3750).

Clarity readings and water quality measurements were conducted monthly from June through September by Woody Trask with additional clarity readings taken mid-May to late September  by Michael Heskanen.

Since 2004, Taylor Pond Association has been collecting its own water samples and performing most tests. Phosphorus analyses are conducted by the DHHS Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory.

Result summary: 2022 was an exceptionally good year for Taylor Pond. A record high single clarity reading (7.38m) and a new high average clarity reading (6.12m) were recorded. In addition, there was a low level of coloration especially in June and September. Both conditions might be attributed to having had very little precipitation; hence less run-off and infiltration.

The average 5 meter core sample phosphorus reading was lower than last year, but slightly higher than the historical average. The average 12 meter bottom phosphorus reading was much higher than last year due to a very high reading in September (an anomaly?). All other monthly readings were in the low to normal range.

Values for pH, alkalinity and conductance where all within the normal range of variation from the historic mean.

The average surface temperature taken at 1 meter depth was 23.9°C (75°F), 0.6°C (1.1°F) higher than last year and 1.0°C (1.8°F) higher than the average for the past 10 years. In spite of the high temperatures, there were no algal blooms reported in 2022.

 “Ice in” occurred on January 11, 2021, about a month later than last year, and the “ice out” date was April 4th making for a much shorter than average iced-over period. The historical average for “ice out” is April 14.

The results of this year’s monitoring are given below and in a separate DO/Temperature report.

Parameter2022Mean for Taylor Pond  since 1975Historic Mean for all Maine Lakes
Color1520.9128
pH7.07.016.82
Alkalinity2017.211.9
Conductance, µS/cm11491.946
Total Phosphorous 5m core sample, µg/L10.75 vs. 12 in 202110.2612  
Total Phosphorous bottom grab, µg/L52.8 vs. 23 in 202124.55  (not published)
Secchi depth (meters) minimum4.3 vs. 4.0 in 20211.7 (minimum ever recorded)0.5 (0.9 in 2012)
Secchi depth mean (m)6.12 vs. 5.14 in 20214.74  4.81 (5.2 in 2012)
Secchi depth max (m)7.38 vs. 6.2 in 20217.38 (2022)15.5 (13.4 in 2012)
Trophic State (by Secchi disk)33.9  47.56  45
Trophic State (by core Total Phosphorus)38.40  41.69    (not published)

Color: Organic material that remains from dead plants and animals provides most of the water color.  Lakes drained by areas with more coniferous forests tend to be brown in color due to the slow degradation of the leaves of these trees.  Taylor Pond had a color measurement of 15.0, which is significantly lower than last year’s average of 21.25 and lower than the mean for all Maine lakes of 28.  When the color is greater than 25 a lake is considered “colored” and the transparency is reduced.  

PH: A measure of the acid-base status of the pond.  Taylor Pond had a pH of 7.0 in 2022 which is slightly higher than the mean of 6.82 for all Maine Lakes.  Acid rain caused by industrial pollutants can cause the pH in lakes to drop below 6.  This drop in pH kills off the healthy zooplankton (microscopic animals) leading to death of fish and overgrowth of algae.   The pH of Taylor Pond has been very stable year to year.

Alkalinity: A measure of the capacity of the water to buffer against a change in the pH.  Taylor Pond’s alkalinity in 2022 was 20.0 compared to a mean for all Maine lakes of 11.9.  This indicates that our pond is unlikely to have a problem with acidity.  The level of alkalinity in Taylor Pond has remained constant and is not of concern.

Conductance: Conductance indirectly measures the relative number of dissolved ions in the water — the higher the concentration of ions the greater the conductance. Conductance is used as a rough estimate of the amount of pollutants which usually are present as ions.  Although conductance is easy to measure it is not considered highly reliable.  Taylor Pond’s conductance for 2022 was 114 compared to a historical mean of 91.9 and a mean of 46 for all Maine lakes.

Total Phosphorous: A phosphorus analysis provides the most reliable measure of the capacity of Taylor Pond to have an algal bloom.  Algae in Maine waters tend to be limited by the phosphorous content of the water.  If provided with enough phosphorous, algae grows rapidly.  Algae cause depletion of oxygen in the water which kills animal life, colors the water green and when it dies creates unpleasant odors.  Taylor Pond’s phosphorous was done using a 5 meter core and bottom grab sampling technique.  Taylor Pond’s core sample phosphorous readings this year averaged 10.75 µg/L which is comparable to the historical mean of 10.26 and lower than the 12 reported for all Maine lakes.  In 2022 there were no 5 meter core results close to the 15 µg/L level that can initiate algal blooms.  Lakes are categorized as oligotrophic (low level of biologic productivity), mesotrophic (intermediate) or eutrophic (high biologic productivity) based on how much phosphorous they contain.  A lake with a phosphorous of less than 10 is considered oligotrophic, between 10 and 30 is considered mesotrophic and over 30 is considered eutrophic.

The bottom grab sample average of 52.8 µg/L was much higher than last year’s average due to an abnormally high September ready of 150 µg/L.

Secchi Disk: Secchi disk readings provide the easiest method for measuring the clarity of the water.  Algae, zooplankton (microscopic animals), natural water color and suspended soil all reduce the transparency of the water.  Algae cause most of the change in transparency in Taylor Pond, but pine pollen at times is also a major contributor.  The mean transparency for 2022 was 6.12 meters, about one meter higher than last year, much higher than the historic average for Taylor Pond of 4.74 and higher than the historical average for all Maine lakes.

Trophic State: This is a measure of the biologic productivity of the pond — the higher the number, the more biologically productive the lake and typically the poorer the water quality.  The scale ranges from zero to over 100.  Ponds in the range between 40 and 50 are considered mesotrophic (moderately productive).  Values greater than 50 are associated with eutrophy (high productivity) and values less than 40 are associated with oligotrophy (low productivity).  Taylor Pond measured at 33.9 by Secchi Disk readings and 38.4 by phosphorous readings (considered the most accurate).  Taylor Pond’s Trophic State as measured by the Secchi disk is lower than the state average of 45.

Dissolved Oxygen and Temperature Profiles: The amount of dissolved oxygen is measured at the surface and at one meter depth intervals monthly throughout the summer.  Generally down to a depth of 5 meters the oxygen level remains at a high enough level to sustain all animals.  Below 5 meters the oxygen levels early in the summer are high, but as the summer progresses the oxygen levels drop to levels (below 5 ppm) unable to sustain fish and other aquatic animals. Warm water fish (such as Sunfish, Perch, Pickerel and Bass) have no difficulty in Taylor Pond because they stay near the surface where the water is well oxygenated.  Cold water fish (such as Trout and Salmon) need the deeper colder water, below 20 degrees Celsius, to thrive. By July or August, this colder, deeper water no longer contains enough oxygen for fish.  In addition to the difficulty for fish, oxygen depletion near the bottom of the pond tends to release phosphorous into the water.  This is demonstrated by the higher phosphorous levels found in the bottom grab samples by the middle of the summer. The oxygen depletion found below 4-8 meters was less than what we have measured historically and is consistent with lower phosphorus readings, less coloration and higher clarity. The DO and Temperature profiles for 2022 are on a separate chart (attached).

Conclusions: The conclusion is that 2022 was a better than average year for Taylor Pond as shown by all the quality indicators: phosphorus, clarity and color. The water quality of Taylor Pond is considered to be average compared to other Maine lakes.  The potential for an algal bloom continues to be low to moderate, with the average Phosphorus of 10.75 µg/L for 2022 being in line with the historical average.  Taylor Pond remains one of the 181 Maine lakes on the Maine Department of Environmental Protections Nonpoint Source Priority Watershed list.  This list contains those lakes considered to be threatened or impaired by nonpoint source pollution from land use activities on the surrounding watershed.  In addition the Stormwater Management Law considers Taylor Pond to be a lake “most at risk”. 

Taylor Pond fails to meet standards for the highest water quality due to the depletion of oxygen found at depths below 5 meters during the summer (see DO/Temp chart).  In addition, phosphorous levels historically remain just below the threshold of 15 which can trigger an algal bloom.  Monitoring of Taylor Pond has been conducted regularly since 1975.  During this time there has been no consistent trend in the parameters measured.  Since 2004, the years Taylor Pond has been monitored by volunteers, there have been no appreciable algae blooms.  

Because of the shallow depth of the pond (mean depth 17 feet) and low flushing rate (1.34 flushes per year, the number of times the water, on average, empties from the pond) Taylor Pond will likely always remain vulnerable to phosphorous loading and therefore algal blooms.  Because of oxygen depletion of deep water during the summer, the pond will likely never sustain a cold water fishery.  Finally, each new structure or expansion of an existing structure, whether a home, garage, driveway, road, lawn or beach, potentially increases the phosphorous loading of the pond.  

Taylor Pond continues to have many attractive qualities.  The shallow depth means that it quickly warms in the summer to provide excellent swimming close to the towns of Auburn and Lewiston.  It freezes quickly in the winter to provide skating, skiing and ice fishing during the winter.   It has an abundant bass, pickerel, and recently pike populations that thrive in its warm waters and attract people who enjoy fishing.  The Department of Marine Resources considers the pond to be prime spawning habitat for alewives and trucks adult fish above the dams on the Androscoggin River into Taylor Pond.  It has a naturally high level of biologic productivity that sustains an abundant wildlife population for all to enjoy.  It remains a place that never ceases to astound us with its beauty. 

METHODOLOGY:

Samples are collected at the deepest point in the pond.  This point has been determined previously and the historic location has been noted on maps available to the samplers along with GPS coordinates.  This spot is reached by boat and verified each time by visual triangulation or GPS reading.  In addition to visual triangulation an ultrasound depth meter is used before collecting core and grab samples.  Grab samples are taken using a Van Dorn Water Sampler.  Core samples are taken with a core sampler  home-manufactured from a 50 foot flexible PVC tube.   The method for grab samples at a specified depth and core samples are done according to the protocol of the Maine Bureau of Land and Water Quality, Division of Environmental Assessment.

COLOR:  Performed on core samples using a Hach color wheel (CO 20-100) and units are in Standard Platinum Units (SPU).

PH: Performed on core samples using a Hach Bromothymol Blue test kit for pH.

CONDUCTANCE:  Performed on core samples using a HM Digital, Inc. Model COM-100 water quality tester for EC/TDS/Temp. Conductivity is measured in uS/cm.

ALKALINITY:  Performed on core samples using a titration method with a Hach color wheel measured in milligram per liter. 

PHOSPHOROUS:  Performed on core samples and bottom grab samples.  Samples are collected in the field, refrigerated and sent to the DHHS lab by mail. Measurements are in micrograms per Liter (parts per billion). The results are the average of four samples taken once a month from June to September.

SECCHI DISK:  Performed using the method taught by the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program. Only certified users performed this task. Measurements of depth are in meters.

DISSOLVED OXYGEN:  Performed in the field using a YSI 550A DO meter with 13 meter probe which measures temperature and dissolved oxygen from the surface to maximum depth.  The sampler and meter is yearly certified by the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program as to method and accuracy. Measurements of dissolved oxygen are in milligrams per liter (mg/l). Water temperature is recorded at each depth tested.

TROPHIC STATE:  Carlson’s Trophic State Index (TSI) is used in these calculations.  For Secchi disk depth TSI = 60 – 14.41 x (Natural Log of Secchi disk depth in meters). For total phosphorus TSI = 14.42 x (Natural Log of total phosphorous) + 4.15. 

Woody Trask

12/17/22

Annual Meeting

The 2022 Annual Meeting was called to order at 7 pm at Taylor Pond Yacht Club with 48 participants.

President’s Report (Dana Little) Dana welcomed participants, noting that it was nice to be meeting in person again for the first time since 2019 and reviewing a few highlights:

• volunteers have increased water quality monitoring to watch potential  issues related to a new Horse Farm in the watershed and tree clearing at TPYC.  Testing thus far does not show sustained adverse results.

•this summer’s significant drought has left some concerned about the low water level; the engineering consultant who did a study for TPA several years ago roughly estimates the cost to build a dam to supplement natural beaver dams at $200-250,000  and $30,000 for design;  no plan to pursue this at this time, with the hope that a better winter snowfall and summer rain will improve level next year.

•There seem to be a lot of Browntail moths this year.  With property on the waterfront, it is important not to spray infected trees.  If needed, a professional can be hired to inject the tree for treatment.  Spraying for mosquitoes is also discouraged near the water.  

•LakeSmart evaluations and grants are available to TPA members interested in planning their landscaping to benefit the pond’s ecology.  Interested property owners or road associations should contact Dana to schedule an evaluation.  Lake friendly improvements made following recommendations will be reimbursed with up to $500 in a matching grant.  Easy, low-cost basic practices that  all property owners can follow are to avoid lawn fertilizers/pesticides, plant clover in your lawn which naturally adds  nitrogen, and grow/cut  lawns to 3 inches.

•Testing for e coli on the pond this summer  confirms that the water is definitely not potable, but did not reveal worrisome  levels in the few areas tested.  That said, results will be  different across the pond, with water in areas of high use by people or pets of greater concern.  Testing in your immediate swimming area is really the best way to be safe.    

Treasurer’s Report (Ed Gray)

Current balance of funds is approximately $40,600.  This year a record high 160 members (out of 227 property owners)  paid annual dues.  Regular costs paid this year included design, printing and mailing of the annual newsletter,  water testing, memberships in organizations (LSM and Maine Lakes), filings, and office expenses.

Water Quality Report-Woody Trask

Water quality continues to maintain historic levels.  Water quality readings are reported online to Lake Stewards of Maine and the report for 2021 can be viewed on our website.  (The 2022 complete report will be available later this year once all results are complete and analyzed.) Lake Stewards of Maine is a nonprofit monitoring and advocacy organization located in Auburn; they offer training and are a  good resource for residents who want to learn more about preserving natural  water resources. This summer water has been particularly clear, with a record high reading of 7.58 meters.  It is possible that the lack of rain contributed to clarity, as well as the large number of natural springs feeding the pond.  The water in Taylor Pond turns over every 1.3 years, mitigating any quality issues.  Lake Auburn’s water only turns over every 4-7 years, so there are more potential issues with quality.  

Secretary’s Report (Luci Merin)

The minutes of the 2021 Annual Meeting were distributed at the meeting and available on the TPA website ahead of the meeting.  Dana Little made a motion to approve the minutes, seconded by Ed Gray and approved unanimously.  

The slate of nominees for two-year terms (to end Summer 2024) to the the Board of Directors was presented:

•New Members:  Mary Ann Ashton, Michelle Cullen

•Renewing Members: Dana Little, Larry Faiman, Ed Gray, Bill Turner, Kristi Norcross, Donna Morin

A motion to elect the slate of nominees to the Board  was made by Peter Bingham, seconded by Pat Garcia, and approved unanimously.

(Board Members Brian Cullen, Luci Merin, Barbara Mitchell and Woody Trask continue to serve terms that expire Summer 2023.)

Other Business

Peter Garcia, on behalf of Taylor Pond Yacht Club, extended an open invitation to Taylor Pond residents to join weekly summer Sunday sailing regattas hosted by TPYC. For more details check out TPYC website or call Peter.

Guest Speaker: John Blais, Deputy Director of Planning and Permitting, City of Auburn

Mr. Blais comes to his role in Auburn with varied experience, including that of a watershed project director and full-service guide specializing in freshwater fishing.  Regarding the fishing in Taylor Pond, he noted that the invasive Northern Pike have come down from Cobbossee Lake and the Androscoggin River.  In his experience, the Pike have not affected the populations of Small and Large Mouth Bass, which are common in Taylor Pond.  He noted that he recommends abandoning the older rubber worms as bait as they break apart easily, end up in the water and pose a danger to the ecology.  A newer material called ElaZtech is stronger and more environmentally friendly–unlike most other soft plastic baits, ElaZtech contains no PVC, plastisol or phthalates, and is non-toxic. 

Taylor Pond is 653 acres in area, but the Taylor Pond Watershed includes 4,700 acres.  A map of the TP watershed was distributed as part of a discussion about  zoning changes being proposed in Auburn and an approved change to the phosphorus control ordinance requiring  any new building or structure in the watershed to have a phosphorus control plan if the project has more than 200 square feet of ground floor area (previously 575 sf). When applying for a building permit, properties in the watershed will be held to this new standard designed to protect water quality by preventing direct runoff of rainwater into the pond.  Phosphorus, while naturally occurring in the ground, provides energy and food for algae and grasses to grow in bodies of water.  A handout detailed several best practices and options to address runoff.  The City of Auburn will provide free assistance to any project between 200-600 square feet to create a plan using best practices/ low impact development practices such as rain barrels, rain gardens, swales and vegetative buffers as detailed on the handout.  (Projects over 1,000 sq feet will need to hire an engineer to create a phosphorus control plan.)  Regarding vegetative buffers, there is an option to register the buffer with the City so that it becomes a permanent part of the property deed and cannot be removed by future owners.  You do not have to register an existing buffer, but the city will tie it to the deed at the property owner’s request.  

Not as a punitive measure, but as a means to protect Auburn’s water resources, the City has  compiled information on all the homes that have phosphorus control plans and intends to follow up to ensure that best practices continue to be followed in the watershed.  

In answer to questions about private road maintenance on the pond, keeping a crowned road is the best practice to mitigate runoff.  Without getting into individual issues on specific roads, it was noted that there are benefits to both gravel and paved roads ( if they have the right base of 18 inches of gravel).  Regarding the dust connected with gravel roads, it was suggested that 5-10% of the top layer of the road be made up of “fines”–clay or ground up  reclaimed asphalt to keep the dust down.  To the larger question of funding for road improvements around the pond, Maine DEP  funding through the Nonpoint Source Water Pollution Control Grants (“319”) was mentioned, if  road associations worked together.  Taylor Pond qualifies as a priority watershed and could apply to first develop a watershed-based plan and then to implement it.

In answer to  question about the change in the Lake Auburn Watershed lines made by the City, it was noted that the existing use in the contested area (a gravel pit) has no required mitigating practices in place to address runoff.  New construction, he predicts, will create half the impact of the current use due to required landscaping and state regulations that require a percentage of standing trees remain on new lot developments. 

Addressing browntail moth problems, tree removal could potentially be  approved (even though it is on the shore) with a  plan to replace the tree with a vegetative buffer.  In any case, having lawn all the way down to the water is not good practice. Alternate suggestions include planting hostas or blueberries on the shore and using erosion control mulch (ground up bark mulch).  The Lake Book, recently reprinted in a 4th Edition by Maine Lakes, is  a great resource for this and many other freshwater preservation issues. (A PDF file  can be accessed online at the Maine Lakes website, https://www.lakes.me/lakebook or order a hard copy from the same website.)

Mr. Blais invited TPA members to call or email him with questions at any time.  He can be reached at [email protected] or 207.333.6601 x1334  On behalf of the membership, Dana thanked Mr. Blais for his excellent presentation and time answering so many questions.  

The Annual Meeting was adjourned at 8:15 pm

SHORELINE IMPROVEMENT GRANTS SUPPORT TAYLOR POND WATER QUALITY

Whether your idea of summer on Taylor Pond includes boating, floating, paddling, fishing, sailing, or simply relaxing in a deck chair on solid ground, you count on its clean water and accessible shoreline to get the most out of every precious summer day.  We all do.  Of all the issues on TPA agendas over the years, none is more consistent and more important than water quality.  It is no accident that our water is clear; it’s thanks to the stewardship of us all.

One of the best ways to maintain water quality is from the shore.  TPA offers help to property owners who want to make their shoreline more lake friendly.  Free property evaluations and matching grants up to $500 are available to members. Participation is completely voluntary. Property owners can opt out at any time (i.e. they are not required to implement any improvement suggestions and the property evaluation is purely educational, not regulatory). 

Evaluations do advise property owners on Maine’s shoreland zoning law and include customized recommendations for property improvements that will keep the pond healthy such as: 

  • Preventing rain runoff  from directly entering the pond
  • Planting a buffer along the shore 
  • Leaving grass at least three inches long when cutting
  • Avoiding pesticides and fertilizers
  • Reducing lawn sizes

Homeowners (or road associations) who do want to apply for a matching grant (up to $500) will follow these steps: 

  • An initial, free LakeSmart property evaluation 
  • Make improvements as recommended in the written evaluation
  • Provide proof of associated costs
  • Not make changes to the property that would worsen its score 
  • Have a follow up evaluation to ensure satisfactory work

To find out more or schedule a LakeSmart evaluation, call Kristi Norcross at 577-6408. 

Increased Phosphorus from Taylor Pond Yacht Club Threatens Taylor Pond

Dana Little

May 22, 2022

This spring Taylor Pond Association  tested the stream that crosses the  Taylor Pond Yacht Club property  and found high levels of phosphorus  draining into the pond. High levels of  phosphorus can cause algae blooms  that threaten our water quality. It is  not certain what caused these high  levels but they did coincide with  spring runoff following a timber  harvest. Woody Trask and I have been  investigating the possible cause. 

In late 2021, TPA was alerted to two  possible causes of increased erosion  and potential phosphorus runoff into  Taylor Pond. Underwood Farm, off  West Auburn Road, cleared trees  around a feeder stream supplying  Lapham Brook, the main inlet for  Taylor Pond. This clearing violated  Best Management Practices for  erosion control. The City of Auburn  became concerned because of the  potential to pollute Lake Auburn. As  a result, The city required Underwood  Farm to develop a phosphorus control  plan. The plan requires a 75-foot  buffer on each side of the stream. In  addition, they need to comply with  a manure management plan that  involves removing all manure and  trucking it off site on a regular basis.  Followup investigation of runoff  suggested that little water from the  farm makes its way to Lake Auburn  and that it primarily drains into Taylor  Pond. 

A second area of concern arose  this winter when Taylor Pond Yacht  Club conducted an extensive timber  harvest on their 44 acres. A small  stream courses through the property  and empties into Taylor Pond. The  harvesting machinery crossed the  stream using a temporary bridge and  erosion of the bank was visible at the  site. In addition, trees were harvested  on both sides of the brook and  

deeply rutted trails were created with  the potential for soil, and therefore  phosphorus, washing into the pond.  

Because of these two issues we began  testing for phosphorus in selected  feeder streams to Taylor Pond. We  had not been testing feeder streams  prior to last year. For the last 36  years we have been testing the water  at the deepest spot on the pond  using techniques taught to us by  the Auburn Water District and Lake  Stewards of Maine. Lake Auburn  has had its feeder streams tested for  years and their technicians provided  us with expertise to test Taylor Pond’s  streams. We sent the water samples  to the state lab in Augusta and A&L  Lab in Auburn for testing. 

Initially, we just checked Lapham  Brook and obtained a level of 8 (parts  per billion) in December and this  rose to 12 in March. By comparison,  the average phosphorus last year  in Taylor Pond was 12 (the 36-year  average was 10.25). Levels in this  range will not typically cause harmful  algal blooms. This provided some  small reassurance that Underwood  Farm was not causing problems for  Taylor Pond. 

We then tested the brook crossing  Taylor Pond Yacht Club property in  January, prior to spring runoff, and  we obtained a level of 4. However, in  March, after the completion of timber  harvesting, this rose to 37. This high  level was obtained after a rain event  and the snow had mostly melted. If  all streams leading into Taylor Pond  had levels this high, we could face a  significant algal bloom. Algae can not  only be unsightly and decrease home  values, but they can also produce  toxins that can be harmful to pets,  people and wildlife. 

On April 19th we repeated the  testing on the Taylor Pond Yacht  Club stream and Hodgkin’s Brook  just after another heavy rain event.  We tested Hodgkin’s Brook because  it is another small feeder stream  running into Taylor Pond. The results  for the Yacht Club stream came back  at 8 and Hodgkin’s Brook at 7 for  phosphorus. This reassured us that  high levels of phosphorus are still not  entering the pond. Actions have been  taken by Wylie Mitchell to reduce the  likelihood of further erosion into the  Yacht Club stream, using hay bales as  barriers, spreading hay and seeds on  exposed soil. Taylor Pond Association  will continue to monitor feeder  streams regularly and as needed if  concerns are raised.  

President’s Annual Report:

Dana Little

May 22, 2022

On behalf of the TPA board of directors, I am  happy to share some of our activities in support  of TPA’s mission this year, as well as raise a few  topics to keep you aware of activities related  to preserving the ecology of Taylor Pond.  

THREATS TO THE POND’S HEALTH 

We were alerted to two threats to Taylor  Pond’s health this last year—construction of  a new horse farm on West Auburn Road and  logging at Taylor Pond Yacht Club. As a result,  we started monitoring for pollution entering  the pond via feeder streams that drain these  two properties. We found no evidence of  contamination from the horse farm activities  but were alarmed by elevated levels of  phosphorus from the Yacht Club stream.  Fortunately, these elevated levels have since  dropped to normal, but we will continue to  monitor and report back. You can read more  about this on page 8, in addition to a summary  of pending zoning changes which may affect  properties on Taylor Pond written by board  member Barbara Mitchell on page 7. 

PHOSPHOROUS CONTROL ORDINANCE  

In relation to water quality threats, one of our  board members, attorney Brian Cullen, brings  clarity to the City of Auburn’s phosphorus  control ordinance in an article on page 9.  The rules become applicable when new  construction involves more than 250 square  feet of ground floor area or with certain  earthmoving, tree or brush cutting or paving  activities. When one seeks a permit for such  activities, the city’s planning department will  guide you through the process. 

WATER QUALITY AND WARMING 

Another board member, retired professional  chemist Woody Trask, writes about water  quality testing on page 13. His report shows  the levels of phosphorus in the pond remain  stable with an average in 2021 of 12, below  the level of 15 at which algal blooms can  

occur. Records of ice in and out dates are  showing a trend toward later ice in and earlier  ice out dates. This trend has also been seen  in Lake Auburn and many other Maine lakes  and is consistent with global warming. The  monitors also measure the water temperature  which shows an upward trend over the last  fifty years. With less ice cover on Taylor Pond  warming will occur leading to an increased  likelihood of algal blooms.  

$500 LAKESMART MATCHING FUNDS  

I serve as our pond’s local contact for  LakeSmart, a volunteer run program run by  the nonprofit organization Maine Lakes. Last  year, I visited two homes, showed owners  how to make their property more lake  friendly, and helped them each earn $500  grants. Taylor Pond Association will match  up to $500 of your expenditures if you are a  member, have a LakeSmart evaluation, follow  the recommendations made and do nothing  to worsen your impact on the lake. If you are  interested, please contact me danawl585@ gmail.com or Kristi Norcross Knorcross@ 

roadrunner.com or 207-577-6408. 

FIREWORKS 

According to fire department “Consumer  fireworks in the City of Auburn are a violation  of city ordinance and carry a fine of $200  to $1,000 for each violation. This includes  firecrackers, bottle rockets, and missiles.”  Please celebrate safely this summer. 

BOATING 

The most common violation of boating laws  that we see on the pond is excessive speed.  Within 200 feet of shoreline watercraft may only  travel at headway speed which is defined as the  minimum speed necessary to maintain steerage  of the watercraft. Boaters are responsible for  maintaining a safe distance from swimmers and  other boats and for the effects of their wakes  on the shoreline and other watercraft. 

LOON NESTING 

Loons enjoy our pond as much as we do.  Unfortunately, we rarely see any breeding  success. Although there are usually a half  dozen loons on the pond, the last observed  chick was several years ago. I have seen chicks  on ponds smaller than ours, so it is not our size  that inhibits them. I suspect it is the degree  to which the shoreline is built up with homes.  Michael Heskanen and Peter Durgin last year  constructed a floating nest to encourage the  loons to breed here. The nest is located at the  mouth of Lapham Brook, and we encourage  you not to disturb the site. 

SWIMMER’S ITCH (AND FEEDING DUCKS) 

I love all the birds we have on Taylor Pond and  you can read about them in my article on page  10. There are two health issues with having  birds too close to us, however. Swimmer’s  itch is caused by a parasite that depends on  ducks pooping in the water which releases  the parasite’s eggs. The eggs hatch and then  the parasite lives in snails before they drop  into the water and crawl into the exposed skin  of a swimmer. They cause an itchy rash that  can last several weeks. Keeping the ducks  away and drying your skin with a towel as  soon as leaving the water will usually prevent  problems. There is also a new influenza virus  carried by birds that so far seems not to infect  people but has caused the death of millions of  chickens across the country. In both cases bird  poop is the agent by which these diseases are  spread. Once you start feeding the ducks you  invite both infections into your home. 

BROWNTAIL MOTHS 

Unfortunately, Taylor Pond resides in the  middle of a zone of widespread Browntail  Moth infestations. Three years ago, I observed  them nearly denuding the trees above Kohl’s  along Gracelawn Road and I acquired an itchy  rash that lasted 3 weeks from their urticarial  

hairs. Their hand-sized silvery web nests can  be spotted at the tops of numerous oaks  and fruit trees around the pond. The State  of Maine maintains an excellent website  and professionals who can advise you on  management of this pest. The preferred  technique for removal is hand removal of the  winter nests. Spraying pesticides anywhere  near the shoreline is illegal. I recommend  hiring a licensed pesticide applicator if you  decide you cannot tolerate them. There is  a technique used by experts in which trees  close to the water can be injected safely to  kill the caterpillars. So far, I have preferred to  leave them for the Cuckoos to eat.  

Birds of Taylor Pond

Dana Little 

The wealth of birdlife around Taylor Pond always amazes me. When we bought our current home on the pond it was a Great Blue Heron standing in the waterlily-filled cove that most convinced me to settle along the shore. Last year we had a Bald Eagle nesting in one of the tall White Pine trees on the west shore. In the winter, eagles and crows collect around the ice-fishing shacks to feed on discarded fish. In the summer, osprey hunt the waters for fish and then fly back to their nests in the distance. Belted Kingfishers haunt the edges of the pond, perching on overhanging branches of trees or the mast of a sailboat, before plunging into the water after small fish.     

Great Blue Heron: Often seen feeding along the shore, a year-round resident of Maine but usually only on the coast in the winter.

For me, spring officially starts when I hear the first Red-winged blackbird singing in the swamp that surrounds my home.  Soon, joined by dozens of other Red-wings and Grackles, there ensues a cacophony of sound for the next month, shouting out that warm days are coming.  They nest in tangled buttonbush swamps almost impossible for a person to navigate and difficult for predators to penetrate. A few weeks after they arrive, I will listen in the evenings for the calls and flight songs of the American Woodcock that probe my lawn looking for worms.  As the days warm the Tree Swallows return to their nesting boxes and the flute-like songs of the Veery and Hermit Thrush reassure me that all is well. 

A Cape May Warbler at my feeder. A migrant seen in the spring and fall. Breeds in northern Maine and Canada, winters in the Caribbean.

The pond and surrounding wetlands nourish a variety of larval insects that hatch into flying adults in the spring and summer.  Warblers come from South America to feed and raise their babies on the abundant insect life.  The surrounding woods provide summer homes to one of the world’s most diverse collection of warblers including Yellow, Chestnut-Sided, Magnolia, Black-Throated Blue, Black-Throated Green, Yelow-rumped, Pine, Tennessee, Nashville, Northern Parula, Black-and-White, American Redstart, Common Yellowthroat, Northern and Louisiana Waterthrush, Ovenbird, Canada, and Wilson’s Warblers.  Other warblers only show up for a few weeks as they head north in the spring for boreal Canada or south in the fall to Central and South America.  These include the Cape May, Blackburnian, Palm, Blackpoll and Orange-Crowned Warblers.  Being hard to spot makes seeing these colorful gems special. 

Black and White Warbler: Arrive in the spring and raise young before heading south to winter in the Caribbean.

The pond serves as a valuable migration stop for many other birds. Flocks of ducks, tired from flying hundreds of miles, stop to rest and feed on the water.  In the spring and fall we often see Ringed-neck, Green-winged Teal, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye and Ruddy Duck.   

Shy American Bitterns make their pumping calls from deep in swampy areas and rarely can be seen flying overhead. Virginia Rails skulk about in the tangled wetlands, more often heard than seen, it is a rare reward to watch them walking along with a half-dozen black, fluffy ping-pong ball-sized youngsters.   Green and Great Blue Herons hunt along the shores for fish, snails, crayfish, and aquatic insects.  Fruit-loving Gray Catbirds and Baltimore Orioles love the thickets in wet areas that are loaded with berry bushes.  As you might expect from the abundance of black flies, mosquitoes and other annoying insects, we have a variety of flycatchers including the Eastern Wood-pewee, Willow, Alder, Least and Great Crested Flycatchers, and the Eastern Phoebe that loves to build its nest around the house.  In the summer you can hear the shy Black-billed and Yellow-billed Cuckoos calling as they search for the caterpillars feeding on tree leaves. 

Baltimore Oriole: A fruit-loving bird that also feeds on many insects and caterpillars. They breed here in the summer and winter in Central and South America.

I have documented 121 species of birds that nest around the pond or come to this area to feed their young.  I will post a comprehensive listing on the website www.taylorpond.org.  In addition, another 36 species use the pond or surrounding lands as a staging area on their way north or south in the spring and fall.  Rise up at dawn some spring morning and listen to the chorus of birds singing, one of the world’s natural wonders everyone should experience.  Birds brought me to my home and provide an ever-changing spectacle for me to enjoy my stay.   

Auburn’s Phosphorus Control Ordinance

Brian M. Cullen, April 28, 2022

Auburn’s Phosphorus Control Ordinance applies to a Variety of Construction and Land Use Activities within the Taylor Pond Watershed

The City of Auburn’s comprehensive Code of Ordinances contains a section titled Environmental Performance Standards. See Chapter 60, Article XIII. Within that section are provisions relating to Phosphorus Control measures required to be followed in connection with various construction and land use type activities occurring within the Lake Auburn and Taylor Pond watersheds. See Division 2. The ordinance and its measures are intended to mitigate the introduction of additional phosphorus into Taylor Pond and Lake Auburn. 

Phosphorus is a common, naturally occurring element which acts as a nutrient. When introduced into a pond or lake, phosphorus promotes algal growth and if unchecked, can proliferate into the phenomenon known as algae bloom.  As many people are aware, algae blooms are harmful to lake health, difficult and expensive to remediate, diminish lake clarity and deplete lake oxygen.  This can lead to murky, odorous water and cause fish kills.  The resulting degradation of the water quality also typically diminishes the value of surrounding lakeshore property. 

Many Taylor Pond property owners may not be familiar with Auburn’s specific phosphorus control requirements. The requirements apply only to the Taylor Pond and Lake Auburn watersheds and are in addition to the City’s building code and zoning ordinances provisions, which apply to construction and land use activity throughout the city. For example, although the construction and maintenance of septic systems may present phosphorous related issues, the City’s requirements pertaining to septic systems  are separate and distinct from the Phosphorous Control Ordinance. Indeed, ongoing efforts to amend the City’s septic regulations applicable to the Lake Auburn watershed, may further compound property owner confusion. 

Refocusing on the Phosphorus Control Ordinance is particularly timely in light of a recent amendment which makes it applicable to even more projects. Previously the ordinance applied to new buildings of 575 ft.² or more. As amended, the ordinance now applies to the construction of new buildings or structures with more than 250 ft.² of ground floor area. The revised standard could apply to many large sheds, garages and building additions. The ordinance also applies to building expansions of more than 30%. 

In addition, the ordinance extends to the following land use type activities: earthmoving or brush and tree cutting affecting 10,000 ft.² or more and road, driveway or parking area construction/ re-construction of 1500 ft.² or more. 

Pursuant to the express terms of the ordinance, projects meeting the above criteria require a phosphorus control permit. As currently administered by the City’s planning department however, there is no separate permit; consideration of phosphorus control issues is subsumed within the same review process as issuance of a building permit. This may contribute to the relative obscurity of the phosphorus control ordinance.   

In any event, when the City’s planning department determines that an application for a building permit implicates the phosphorus control ordinance, it will require the applicant to  submit a phosphorus control plan. The plan needs to be prepared by an environmental engineer and must meet the standards contained in the Maine Stormwater Management Design Manual, Phosphorus Control Manual Volume II, March 2016. Upon review and approval by the City’s planning department, compliance with the phosphorus control plan will be one of the terms of the resulting building permit

2022 Lake Book

For all lakefront home owners I highly recommend the latest edition of the Lake Book. It provides up to date information about lake science, lake wildlife, native plants, best management practices for erosion control, and a list of achievable actions you can take to improve your lake. New pages on climate impacts, invasive species, and algal threats have been added, making this a useful book for all who use, visit, and live on or near Maine’s lakes and ponds.  The Lake Book is a result of contributions from many collaborators across the state, including the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Lake Stewards of Maine, Lakes Environmental Association, and the 30 Mile River Watershed Association.