Acton-Wakefield Watersheds Alliance making progress

By JOHN NOLAN

jnolan[@]fosters.com

WAKEFIELD [--] The Acton-Wakefield Watershed Alliance, better known as AWWA, held its annual meeting in Wakefield Opera House on Aug. 19, voted in a slate of officers for the coming year, and presented a year-to-date financial report that showed growing support among the residents of the two communities as gauged by donations from individuals and lake associations.  The meeting was followed by a tour of several Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) project sites where the common aim of the work is to reduce erosion and sediment through storm-water from running into the seven lakes within the watershed and thus prevent degradation of the water quality. AWWA Executive Director Linda Schier, after listing the organization's accomplishments in the past 12 months, told a score of attendees, "The lakes offer many gifts [--] beauty, recreation, ecological integrity and they are<$> the industry in this region. It is our job to speak for them, work to protect them and help keep the economic engine stable for now and for generations to come. How we use and care for the land is the key to preserving these priceless assets."

Dick DesRoches was reelected president of AWWA, Pat Theisen will continue to serve as secretary, Jeanne Achille will be vice president and Jon Samuelson will act as treasurer for the coming year. Carol Lafond will serve a three-year term as a director. Other board members include Don Chapman, Charles Hodsdon, Marcia Hodsdon and Glenn Wildes.

Among the year's accomplishments listed by Schier, were the kick-off of the Clean Lakes Campaign, working with UNH personnel and the towns to implement road management plans for Brackett and Pond roads, writing newsletter articles, giving nine presentations to Paul School students, and updates to the various lake associations, monitoring water quality throughout the watershed, presentations on AWWA's work to regional and state groups and increasing membership of the organization.

AWWA Program Manager Dustin Johnson told the meeting that the YCC has completed 18 projects to date with one more winding up.  "We have installed 84 Best Management Practices with two more planned. The projects were spread across seven lakes [--] one on Pine River Pond, three on Province, two on Balch, five on Wilson, three on Lovell, two on Horn, and three on Great East). Thirteen of the projects were done in the Salmon Falls watershed while six were done in the Saco watershed," said Johnson adding, "The BMPs installed will prevent about 46 tons of sediment per year and 39 lbs. of phosphorus per year from entering the lakes."  The meeting then adjourned to take a tour of five YCC projects completed over the summer.