Keoka Lake is a 445 square acre kettle lake located entirely in Waterford Maine. Keoka has one public boat launch and two public beaches. The boat launch in located in the center of Waterford adjacent to the primary public beach. The Keoka Lake Association’s (KLA) main mission is the preservation and enhancement of the natural beauty and environmental health of Keoka Lake. To this end, the KLA has been very active in the prevention of infestation from invasive aquatic plants.
Courtesy Boat Inspections
KLA has conducted courtesy boat inspections at the Waterford town boat ramp since 2001. Beginning in 2002, KLA hired a part-time paid inspector. Beginning in 2003, the Town of Waterford voted to support the inspection efforts with an annual financial appropriation at Town Meeting. The KLA also received an inspection grant from the DEP in 2004.
During this time, the schedule of inspection has steadily expanded and improved. In Summer 2005, KLA will run a split shift schedule of inspections, for a total of 509 hours of inspection (beginning before Memorial Day and ending after Labor Day). This is estimated to cost $3,600 for the season.
KLA boat inspections have always followed the protocol developed by Lakes Environmental Association for inspecting boats and reporting on activities (data collection). This protocol will continue in 2005.
The Town of Waterford is the employer of note for the KLA courtesy boat inspector. The town disburses paychecks and pays FICA and workers comp.
A KLA Board Member and local resident (Peter Morse) is the direct supervisor of the courtesy boat inspector(s). Peter makes the final selection of the employee(s) and meets regularly with the inspector during the season. Peter alone dedicates over 50 hours of volunteer time to this function over the course of a typical summer.
Plant Patrol
KLA organizes a volunteer "plant patrol" of the lake. The mission of the KLA Plant Patrol is to survey the aquatic plant life in the lake and document the current inhabitants. This process is conducted three times annually and a report is completed each fall. It is the belief of the KLA Board of Trustees that these survey activities will allow an early identification of any infestation by invasive species – allowing for rapid response against the invader.
The KLA Plant Patrol is organized and led by a KLA Board Member (Merri Lee Johnson). The Plant Patrol is divided into three teams of two. Each team surveys and documents an assigned section of the lake. The volunteers are trained in plant identification and have a protocol to follow in case they come across a species they believe to be suspicious.
In the past, all plant patrol activities have been conducted by volunteers. It is estimated that over 90 hours of volunteer time per year are invested in documenting Keoka Lake’s aquatic plants. In 2005, KLA is reviewing having professional aquatic plant surveyors document the locations of native plants for purposes of establishing a baseline from which to compare any changes, going forward.