Knox/Lincoln Counties Success Stories
(Warren Field Office)
Student
Conservation Fair Held
Six hundred students from 15 schools in Knox and
Lincoln
Counties
recently enjoyed a fun-filled day under sunny skies learning about
conservation. Thanks to the efforts
of the Knox-Lincoln Soil and Water Conservation District and the Natural
Resources Conservation Service office, along with 40 exhibitors, these 2nd
and 3rd grade students are more knowledgeable in such areas as
agriculture, marine, forestry and water resources.
Students had the opportunity to participate in ongoing demonstrations and more
structured presentations. The
following are snapshots of some of the events.
Next year’s fair will be for 6th and 7th grade
students.
Partnerships And Programs
At Work On The Sheepscot River Watershed
Since the concern about the Atlantic Salmon in the Sheepscot
River
was raised in 1995, many agricultural practices have been added to the list of
practices in the watershed. Many of these practices have been funded
through Environmental Quality Incentives Program and and the Conservation
Reserve Program. Environmental Quality Incentives Program projects included reducing erosion from woodlots,
animal manure handling and storage facilities, livestock stream crossings,
erosion control projects, and other water quality projects. Other
practices have been completed through 319 project funds for alternate watering
facilities. The United States Fish & Wildlife Service, Partners in Wildlife
program provided funds for fencing animals from streams. Landowner
contributions in the way of labor, money and changes in their farming operation
have happened. Lastly, visiting with landowners who have concerns about
the land they manage and what they can do to help the watershed have occurred.
Through these efforts approximately 20 conservation practices have been
implemented.
In addition to financial assistance, there have been
education activities funded in part by the Environmental Quality Incentives
Program. Conservation
Districts wrote proposals to implement their ideas, such as a nutrient
management workshop, agricultural waste composting, and riparian buffers in
forest management.
The above outlines agricultural activities carried out by
the Kennebec, Knox-Lincoln and Waldo County Soil and Water Conservation Districts and
the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
There are also ongoing efforts addressing non-point sources of pollution
concerns on roads and in forestland, along with salmon habitat evaluation
activities.
Habitat and Fish Runs Restored
The Sennebec Pond Association bought the “Sennebec
Dam” from Central Maine Power Company in the 1960’s so they would be able
to maintain the water level of the Pond. Little maintenance, if any,
occurred over the years. The Pond Association was approached by Trout
Unlimited to see if they were interested in removing the dam. The
Association was as long as the level of the Pond was to be maintained.
After a public hearing, talking with various people, working with regulators,
and a letter of support from the Knox-Lincoln Soil and Water Conservation
District, it was decided to remove
the old dam and build a new structure, called a rock ramp closer, to the
outlet of the Sennebec Pond. The rock ramp was funded through the
Natural Resources Conservation Service Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program.
The job was awarded to H. E. Sargent. All
permits were obtained prior to construction, including an incidental take
permit for fresh water mussels. Construction has been ahead of schedule
because of weather conditions. The construction of the rock ramp has
been completed with some confused beavers attempting to build a dam or two
during the construction phase. The water level was dropped behind the
dam and in almost one hour the river channel appeared before the eyes of those
watching, which allowed the alewives to make a quicker trip to the channel
below than in the past. The bottom of the upstream channel had not been
seen since the early 1910’s when the dam was constructed.
Three days were devoted to moving threatened freshwater mussels--the Yellow
Lampmussel and the Tidewater Mucket--into the pond environment, where they could
survive. The State Historic Preservation Office spent time looking for
cultural resources after the water was drawn down. This project has just
been completed with expected outcomes being anadromous fish runs restored and
the pond level remaining the same.
 The rock ramp was designed and contoured to produce stream velocities
that allow passage of migratory fish including, but not limited to, Atlantic
salmon, alewife, shad, herring and eels. The rock fill was graded to
minimize voids and has larger boulders placed along the length of the ramp to
provide holding pools to serve as areas for fish to rest as they move up the
ramp.
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