The West Harbor Pond Watershed Association welcomed several new members at its 8th annual meeting and potluck on Sunday, Aug. 7. About 40-50 people convened at the home of Merritt and Martha Blakeslee to hear the latest news on the pond, the work of the association and to share good food and drink.

The WHPWA has worked steadily in its short lifetime to monitor pond conditions and to advocate for protecting water quality.

Association President Gary Arnold updated the group on several areas of interest, with help from other board members.

On the water quality front, there was good news and bad news. Arnold said thanks to a non-member lake resident and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, most geese on the pond had been captured and removed. Arnold said he believes that the low levels of E. coli bacteria found in recent water quality surveys are linked to the removal of geese.

On the downside, Arnold said the association’s attempt to secure a state grant to fix the siphon that once facilitated the flushing of salt water out of the pond was not successful. The failed siphon and the resulting West Harbor Pond water quality problems were discussed at length and were of primary concern to those in attendance. A more detailed report on the water quality and siphon issue will follow in a subsequent story in the Boothbay Register.

Elin Haugen reported that the algae many residents have seen covering the pond bottom this year is not a problem or invasive species. “It’s good food for ducks and great cover for fish,” Haugen said. Arnold also noted the proliferative growth of a filamentous green algae called metaphyton in some shallow coves.

Leslie Volpe updated members on the LakeSmart program, available to any watershed resident. Thirteen WHPWA members have been trained in LakeSmart assessments and will help homeowners improve their properties so they contribute less harmful runoff to the pond. So far this year, five properties have been evaluated using the LakeSmart assessment process, Volpe said.

Volpe noted the “big forces” that were adversely affecting water quality in West Harbor Pond and said, “Each one of us is a little force and with all of us little forces working together and trying to protect our pond we become a big force.” Volpe said no other lake association in the state has a higher proportion of members trained in LakeSmart.

Merritt Blakeslee suggested three areas of focus for the coming year. First, to get the word out more broadly in the community about the water quality problem in West Harbor Pond, stemming from the failed siphon.

His second suggestion is to seek smaller grants. “We’d hope to hit a home run and get all the funding in one grant, but that didn’t happen. So now we need to look at putting together a patchwork of funding,” Blakeslee said. Arnold said the group would be applying for two smaller grants and may specifically seek funds for an engineering study/design to address siphon failure.

Blakeslee’s third suggestion is to seek funding from private individuals rather than grants.

Maggie Connelly circulated a petition to “Save West Harbor Pond” that she said would be used as a tool in selectmen’s and other meetings to show the broad support for protecting the pond.

Brenda McGovern suggested that association members be asked if they would be willing to contribute funds directly to the siphon repair. Others asked for more details from Arnold on both the structural and water quality problems so they would be in a better position to understand and advocate for the pond.

Arnold and the board agreed to follow up on these recommendations. The business meeting adjourned and the food and socializing quickly began.