Updating the Tripp Lake Watershed Survey Begins in 2026
Long term lake health by maintaining water quality is probably the biggest goal and challenge we have as a group and as an organization. As we focus on this goal, we recognize that there are numerous things we can do to protect the lake for future generations. Protecting the lake has so many positive benefits including things like regaining crystal-clear waters, maintaining property values, promoting residents to get involved with their neighbors and community, encouraging future generations to take an active role in their environment, and many other equally important things. Every action we take, big or small, to help protect the lake is a step in the right direction.
One of the most significant actions that we have begun this year, 2025, is to update the last 2002 Watershed Based Management Plan. Working in partnership with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), this update is a multi-year endeavor to look at the entire watershed, and create a working plan of action to address and hopefully fix all non-point source pollution (NPS pollution) threats that would lead to greater degradation of the lake. The last time this was done, it started in1997, and was finished in 2002. It is recommended by DEP to update this plan every 10 years.
While we are overdue in making this happen, we have fully committed to getting it updated starting this year. Maine DEP categorizes lakes in Maine as Impaired, Threatened, or otherwise "healthy". Tripp Pond (aka Tripp Lake) is currently categorized by the Maine DEP as a "threatened" lake and on the DEP Watch List of lakes in Maine which have a recent or long-term significant negative trend in water clarity, lakes determined as being sensitive to additional phosphorus inputs, and/or lakes having a recent increased threat to the watershed by development or agriculture. Luckily, for now, we are not on the impaired lake list, which is a more critical, urgent list, and we want to keep it that way.
Reaching our goal of implementing and fixing NPS pollution will take a coordinated effort by our Tripp Lake Association, other organized stakeholders, residents/owners of property around the lake, and the community in and around the greater lake watershed. The effort happens in stages and includes various activities.
The first big event that happens is called a "Watershed Survey". This watershed survey will take place in the Spring of 2026, and lays the foundation for all future planning. The survey is a one-day event, with an actual boot on the ground action made up of 15-20 volunteers and various lake professionals, who have been trained to find the places on the lake, and in the watershed that contribute to NPS pollution. Owners of properties on the lake and in the watershed are asked to allow our volunteers to go onto their land for a very brief time to see if any recommendations can be made to help address any concerns that are potentially found. We hope all owners will help if they can, as it benefits everyone resulting in better lake health and increased property values.
Once the survey is completed, we will move to the next phase of creating the actual plan, the Watershed Based Management Plan. This portion of the effort is done by professionals, who will assess the findings, categorize priority actions, and create concrete steps we can take as an association, and as residents, to reach our goals of improving lake quality.
To get this watershed survey done right, we will need to recruit and organize volunteers, plan various fund-raising activities, promote and get information out to the community, and hold meetings with all stakeholders, beginning right now. Please let us know if you'd like more information, or have any questions and we can put you in touch with our Watershed Plan contact person, Scott Shapiro. We will of course provide updates here and on Facebook.
2004 Tripp Lake Watershed Survey
<<<Click to access a copy