by Woody Trask
This report summarizes the findings of the 2024 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 June into October 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:
Whereas 2023 was an exceptionally poor year for Taylor Pond, 2024 was very good especially with regard to color and clarity and almost as good as 2022 which was the best year recorded. The highest clarity reading was 6.25m, which compares to a high of 5.65 in 2023. The average of all clarity readings was 5.65m which is 1.4m higher than last year’s average reading. The water had much less coloration than 2023 with an average color value of 18.75 versus 2023’s value over 31. Last year’s high numbers were attributed to very heavy rain events with significant particulate transport into the pond. 2024 had few significant rain events.
The average 5 meter core sample phosphorus reading was slightly lower/better than last year’s average but slightly higher than the historical average. The average 12 meter bottom phosphorus reading was lower than in 2023 and lower than the historic average.
Values for pH and alkalinity where all within the normal range of variation from the historic mean. The conductivity was quite a bit lower than both last year’s reading and the historical average, most likely due to the relatively dry summer with less mineral import into the pond.
The average surface temperature taken at 1 meter depth was 24.8oC (76.6°F), which is 2.6°C (4.7°F) higher than last year and 3°C (5.3°F) higher than the average for the past 15 years. This was due primarily to the July reading of 29.1°C (84.4°F), the highest recorded in the last 15 years.
There were no algal blooms reported in 2024.
“Ice-in” didn’t occur until January 9, 2024. The “ice-out” date was March 15th, a whole month earlier than the historic average of April 14th, 4 days earlier than the previous record giving an “ice cover” period of only 66 days. Longer periods of ice cover are considered beneficial to the health of ponds, however it didn’t seem to have an adverse effect for this year.