Protecting Crescent Lake

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Protecting Crescent Lake since 2008 in the towns of Casco and Raymond, Maine

How We Protect Our Lake

Resources

Lakes are an integral part of our landscape, covering more than a million acres of our state! Maine lakes provide immensely valuable habitat for fish and wildlife, numerous recreational opportunities for people, and drinking water for nearly one-third of our population. Many communities are defined in large measure by their lakes. People relate to lakes in a way that is profoundly important to them and their families.

Habitat and water quality of lakes are vital to both state and local economies. Lakes generate 3.5 billion dollars for Maine’s economy annually, including 52,000 Maine jobs. Tax revenues from shoreline properties are significant in many communities, thus deterioration of a lake can result in serious change to local economies. Restoration of a degraded lake is extremely expensive and is never as effective as protection. Invasive species are the most recently identified threat to Maine lakes and can alter human and wildlife use of a lake permanently.” Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

Here are a few resources to assist us in protecting our water quality.

Visit our friends at Lakes Environmental Association and Lake Stewards of Maine.

Top Ten Ways to Protect Your Lake
LEA Homeowners Guide
Buffer Handbook
What is a Watershed/ Town of Gray Resiliency Committee
Lake Friendly Dock Choices

Watershed Based Protection Plan 2025-2035 Approved!

In September of 2024, the Crescent Lake Watershed survey was officially approved by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). CLWA partnered with Maine DEP to develop a comprehensive 10-year Crescent Lake Watershed-Based Protection Plan. This plan outlines a strategy and schedule for reducing Nonpoint Source (NPS) pollution and protecting water quality in the watershed from 2025-2035.

We are proud to announce that the plan was officially approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in March of 2025!

Click picture to read the full report.

Why is this a Big Deal?

EPA approval opens the door for CLWA to apply for Clean Water Act Section 319 grants – federal funding that supports efforts to reduce pollution like stormwater run-off and erosion. CLWA has partnered with the Cumberland County Soil and Water Conservation District (CCSWCD) to help write grant applications.

These grants help fund:

  • Technical and financial assistance
  • Education Outreach and community worshops
  • Demonstration Projects
  • Long-term pollution reduction tools and training

See CLWA Spring Newsletter or more information.

Watershed Survey Summery
Watershed Survey Report
Historical Watershed Info

First Annual Water Quality Report

Raymond Waterways created this report for Raymond residents and visitors who want to understand the health of our lakes and ponds and learn what they can do to protect this most important natural resource.

A dedicated group of volunteers, supported by the lake associations, collect a variety of data relevant to lake health, some of which we present in this report. These individuals are your neighbors, and you may have seen them out on your lake peering into the water or lowering instruments to the deepest spots. As a team, they are committed to taking your lake’s vital signs as many as 10 times each season.

This report brings the findings of our volunteers to the Raymond public in a way that we hope will make it easy to understand what we know about lake health and the human factors that influence it now and in the future. We expect to make this an annual tradition to promote communication among lake associations and encourage all residents and visitors to be good stewards of Raymond’s waters.

Read Report

Ensuring Water Quality

Monitoring by trained and certified volunteers is a vital part of ensuring the continued stewardship for future generations. Monitoring is carried out in order to better understand and assess the risks to ecological and human health.

Volunteers collect objective and repeatable scientific data on water quality parameters. The majority of monitoring activities are composed of Secchi disc transparency readings, dissolved oxygen and thermal profiles, and the collection of water samples primarily taken for laboratory analysis of total phosphorus. 

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Protecting Wildlife

Learn about the impacts of large boat wakes on Crescent Lake’s ecosystems, wildlife and human safety. Impacts of large wakes include: 

*Erosion of shoreline and wetlan

*Scouring of lake bottom, damaging fish habitat and stirring up phosphorous (effects water quality)

*Damage to loon nests and eggs

*Safety hazard for nearby swimmers

*Damage to docks and moored boats

Of particular concern are wakes in excess of 3 feet in height, which are generated by both slow speed activities such as “plowing the water” whille tubing, as well as large wakes generated by wake boats.

Following these guidelines will help maintain the water quality of the lake, protect wildlife and ensure the safety of all sharing the water.

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Protecting Our Water

We Work with Landownwers

CLIPPers

Maine Lakes partners with lake association volunteers, who visit with neighbors and friends to assess their lakeside properties, checking for erosion around structures, in the yard, and along the lake. Properties that protect the lake and meet the  Lake Smart standards earn the coveted Lake Smart Award, consisting of two distinctive signs that can be posted at the waterfront and driveway. The signs identify the homes of good stewards and show everyone what lake-friendly living looks like.

CLWA offers free property evaluations. Contact our Lake Smart Coordinator!

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Contact

The Crescent Lake Invasive Plant Patrollers (CLIPPers) are the volunteeer invasive plant patrols that promote prevention, early detection and rapid response to invasive plants on Crescent Lake. Volunteers are trained to recognize the invasive aquatic plants on Maine’s “eleven most wanted” list and to distinguish these invaders from their native Maine look-alikes.

Crescent Lake is divided into sections with each section being patrolled, surveyed and inventoried each year. These reports are forwarded to the Lake Stewards of Maine annually tracking invasive species throughout the State of Maine.

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Courtesy Boat Inspectors

The first line of defense against invasive aquatic plants such as variable leaf and Eurasian water milfoil, hydrilla, water chestnut and Brazilian elodea is Maine’s courtesy boat inspectors (CBIs). Many new infestations occur in shallow waters near public boat launch facilities, so it’s obvious invasive plants move from lake to lake on the boats and equipment of unsuspecting boaters.

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Enjoying the Lake

Take a look at our resources and information about Crescent Lake. Here you will find laws and regulations, courtesy tips

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