Welcome to the Central Aroostook
Soil and Water Conservation District
Providing conservation assistance
and education to
the landowners of
Central Aroostook
County for over 60 years.
Central Aroostook Soil & Water Conservation District
Executive Director: Kassy Watson
Board of Supervisor: Brian Edgecomb-Chairman, George Howe-Treasurer, Dotty
Dudley, Sam Blackstone, & Trevor Michaud.
Associate Supervisors: Larry Park, Bruce Wilkins, Gary Belyea, Mike Bragdon,
Steve Sutter, and Brent Flewelling.
The
Upper Prestile Stream Main Stem 1 Subwatershed Survey
The Central Aroostook Soil &
Water Conservation District has 71 years of service working to protect and
improve the natural resources in the Central Aroostook area. One of our main
focuses has always been the water resources such as our lakes, river, and
streams. Over the years we have participated in identifying pollutant sources
and working to fix them through technical assistance, grants, and other
assistance programs.
For the past 8 years we have
been focusing on the Prestile Stream and the land area that drains into it
especially the section above the Mars Hill dam (see map attached). According to
the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, starting with Christina
Reservoir all the way down to the Mars Hill dam, the water quality of Christina
Reservoir and the Prestile Stream in non-attaining the water quality criteria
the state had set for it; in other words it isn’t as healthy as it should be.
Why isn’t it as healthy as it should be? Well, when it rains and the snow melts
it washes all sorts of pollutants into the stream, pollutants such as spilled
petroleum products, bacteria or nutrients from animal waste or failing septic
systems, plus nutrients from fertilizers that are attached to soil particles, as
well as soil itself. For the Prestile Stream excess nutrients are over feeding
the algae and effecting stream health. When the health of our streams is
effected it severely effects the aquatic life – no more brook trout!
To better address the sources of these nutrients the
District has been surveying sections of the Prestile Stream Watershed for soil
erosion sites. We have already completed 4 subwatershed surveys which cover the
land areas that drain to 1.) Frost & Allen Brooks (2005), 2.) Christina
Reservoir (2009), 3.) Williams Brook (2010), and 4.) Getchell Brook (2011).
We have used the results of the surveys to apply for and receive grants to
provide landowners with extra technical assistance in order to better manage
their land through cost share agreements. We recently received a grant to
continue the survey process for the land area known as Main Stem 1 on the map.
If you own land that drains
to the Prestile in the area known as Main Stem 1 we would like your permission
to survey it for soil erosion sites. The survey will take place during the
spring thaw, roughly mid-April till the beginning of June. The survey involves
describing erosion sites and taking measurements, it will in no way disturb your
land. We would like your permission to survey your land and welcome you to join
us when we do, but it is not necessary.
Once the survey is complete
the District will compile the results, summarize our findings, and make
recommendations on how to fix the problem site in a final report. Your name will
never be used or appear in the report. Once the report is complete we hope to
work with landowners by providing technical assistance, possible grant funding
or access to other programs to address the problem sites. As stated earlier our
goal is to improve the water quality of the Prestile Stream, a stream that is
tremendously important to the Central Aroostook area providing recreation
opportunities for all.
In order for the survey to
provide important information to protect and improve the water quality of the
Prestile Stream it is vital that we survey as much of the land in our targeted
area as possible. Therefore we would like your permission to access and survey
your land. If you wish to decline in participating in this survey and our
efforts to protect water quality we will not include your property in the
survey.
To say yes to helping the
District protect and improve the water quality of the Prestile Stream and grant
permission for us to survey your property within the survey area please email or call:
Kassy Watson at
764-4153 Ext.130 or
Complete the
survey and mail to:
CASWCD:
735 Main St.
Presque Isle, ME
04769
or
Fax to: 764-3407
by clicking the green interactive button you will be able to email Kassy Watson
at CASWCD
Central Aroostook
Soil & Water Conservation District
Upper Prestile Stream
Main Stem 1 Sub watershed Survey Participation
The Importance of the
District and Conservation
Ronald Brown, President of the Kansas Association of
Conservation Districts, recently gave a testimony to the U.S. Senate Committee
on Agriculture about the crucial work that the NRCS and Conservation Districts
do and the need for continuing funding of conservation, especially in tough
financial time.
USDA Agriculture
Research Service Cover Crop Chart
The USDA Agriculture Research Service (ARS) has
recently made available its Cover Crop Chart; a concise, electronic booklet with
pertinent information on typical cover crops grown in the US. The chart can be
found
here.
Take Our Natural Resources
Issues Survey
The CASWCD is asking landowners in
the Central Aroostook area to take part in a survey to express their particular
Natural Resources concerns. Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey and
provide your input to your District. The results from this survey will be
used to develop and prioritize our efforts to find solutions and attract funding
for cost-share projects. Click on the Natural Resources Survey link or
here to take the survey now. Thank you and we appreciate your input!
Our Mission
To protect, conserve, and improve our area's
natural resources for future generations by utilizing available technical,
financial and education resources.
The Central Aroostook Soil & Water Conservation District is
a Non-Profit Organization all proceeds from our fundraising efforts are used to
promote conservation and the wise use of our natural resources.
The Central Aroostook County SWCD is an equal opportunity provider
and employer.
