Category Archives: Watershed Grant

Gravel Road Maintenance Workshop

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Friday, June 6 · 9am – 1pm

Enroll for free, for Taylor Pond residents, by clicking on the link below. This workshop is the result of the watershed survey conducted in 2023 and the grant received by Taylor Pond Association. Coordinating the survey, grant and now this workshop is the Androscoggin Valley Soil & Water Conservation District. Learn more by reading below or clicking on the link.

Proper maintenance of gravel roads and driveways is important for water quality, in addition to safe access and minimizing cost of repairs. Gravel and road material get washed away slowly every year and often that sediment ends up in our lakes and ponds!

In this training, participants will learn proper maintenance, types of road materials, how to evaluate a gravel road for maintenance needs, creating a road maintenance plan, and how to implement gravel road Best Management Practices. The class includes both classroom instruction and a site-walk of a local gravel road to provide a real-life scenario for discussion of potential improvements and practices.

This training is intended for road associations, town officials, contractors, gravel road or gravel driveway owners, watershed organizations, and any individual interested in better understanding methods and practices for evaluating and maintaining gravel roads referencing the Maine DEP Camp Road Maintenance Manual.

We will meet at the AVSWCD Office and then carpool to a nearby gravel road so that participants can relate real-life scenarios and potential improvements for identified problems.

Anyone who lives in the Taylor Pond Watershed are eligible for a scholarship. Please email Emma Lorusso ([email protected]) for scholarship information.

This class qualifies for 4 Continuing Education Hours (CEH) for individuals Certified in Erosion Control Practices by Maine DEP. Each CEH affords Certified individuals one year of recertification.

Funding for this event, in part, was provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act. The funding is administered by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in partnership with EPA. EPA does not endorse any commercial products or services mentioned.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gravel-road-maintenance-workshop-auburn-tickets-1355318838129?aff=oddtdtcreator

$750 Dollars for Matching Grants to Taylor Pond Homeowners

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Taylor Pond Association (TPA) working with Androscoggin Valley Soil & Water Conservation District (AVSWCD) received a federal EPA grant in 2025 for the amount of $82,818. Funding for this project, in part, was provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act.  People who live on the pond that were identified in the survey as needing help can qualify for up to $750 in matching expenses for improvements that decrease erosion into the pond. Guidance on how to decrease erosion will be provided by AVSWCD.  Most of these sites have already been identified and the homeowners have been contacted and are aware of this program. The funding is administered by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in partnership with EPA.  EPA does not endorse any commercial products or services mentioned.   If you are interested in participating in this program and have not been contacted, please email Dana Little at [email protected] or Emma Lorusso at [email protected].

LakeSmart is a program that rewards lakefront homeowners who manage their land to protect water quality. The program is free, non-regulatory, and voluntary. Participating homeowners receive individualized suggestions for keeping pollutants from stormwater out of lake waters.  Properties who pursue implementing improvements based on their Lake Smart assessment can qualify for up to $500 in matching funds provided by Taylor Pond Association.  This program is administered by the TPA and Dana Little performs the site evaluations.  Dana can also refer you to the EPA grant program if indicated. 

In addition to these matching grant programs, TPA in conjunction with AVSWCD will be helping road associations work on erosion issues on private roads.  We are hosting a “Gravel Roads Maintenance Workshop” on Friday, June 6th on a private road on Taylor Pond.  This class is for road association members, and anyone with a gravel driveway to learn more about how to avoid common gravel road problems, how to properly maintain gravel roads, and more.  All Taylor Pond watershed residents are eligible for a scholarship to attend.  For more information, please click on this Eventbrite site.