8181-R1_LSLA_2022_WinterNewsletter_Web

2022/2023 Winter Hopkins Dam Report As I write this on a warm Halloween, Little Sebago Lake is at our summer mandated level – 289.2’ above Portland Harbor mean low tide. We were at that level on October 13 th when the Hopkins Dam was opened for the winter drawdown two days early due to forecasted rain. Autumn rains quickly brought us 5” above our mandated summer level. When the dam was closed on April 15th, we were 13.5” below our mandated summer level. The lake filled very quickly and we were at summer high by May 6 th . We stayed at or around that level through June 18 th . The dam remained closed for the rest of summer, as the lake level lowered steadily during the summer drought. We reached a low of 6” below summer level on August 16 th . We didn’t reach summer level again until September 6 th . I am very happy to report that Hopkins Dam is in excellent condition. The new gate and operating system are working great. The new fencing and safety additions are all in place. There are currently minimal leaks in the sluiceway. Future immediate (within the next year) maintenance plans are to vegetate and mulch the eastern side of the dam where equipment was staged to perform last fall/winter/spring’s repairs and to place new safety buoy markers on the north side of the sluiceway. Within 5 to 10 years, we’ll have to look at performing maintenance of the riprap on the north side of the dam.

My thanks to the Dam Committee – Gary Kenny and Justine Beaudoin. Thanks again to Dave Vance for his assistance with the gate and operating system replacement project. Thanks to former DamKeeper Bruce Micucci for his continued assistance and insight. The entire Dam Committee thanks the LSLA Board of Directors and the LSLA membership for your support. Rod Bernier, Hopkins Dam Bob is also working with the rubber razor program LSLA offers. You will need to fill out an application and take some before and after pictures and LSLAwill reimburse you 50% of the cost up to $500.00 based upon your application. The rubber razor is a diverter of water that slows down the velocity and diverts it into an area for absorption of water allowing the nutrients to enter the earth and not the water. Please contact LSLA info@ littlesebagolake.com should you have interest. Link to the Rubber Razor sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yO_ H6AVvWSBJRsSekfGPTQYjJLtWbWmZ/ view?usp=drivesdk

LSLA Watershed Activities and Programs

This year Bob Desrosiers worked with Cumberland County Soil and Water to adapt the watershed brochure that was developed by Dennis Brown of Highland to our specific details. A special thanks to Bob for taking on this special project that will benefit our lake. Since this is an electronic newsletter LSLA is providing a link for you to be able to receive this impactful information. Link to brochure: https://littlesebagolake.com/wp content/uploads/2022/09/LSL-Lake-Friendly-Living.pdf If you are not able to view it on-line, please contact us for a hard copy.

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