The Hancock County Soil and Water Conservation District is pleased to announce that it has received the Beech Hill Pond Watershed Survey 319 Grant from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.  The main purpose of this grant is to document all soil erosion issues in the Beech Hill Pond Watershed which encompasses approximately 9 miles and a good portion of the town of Otis.

Soil erosion is a major source of phosphorus, which can cause excessive plant growth, algal blooms, and murky water.  Phosphorus and other pollutants reach the lake through storm water runoff from anywhere in the watershed. This survey involves walking properties in the watershed to identify how water drains into the lake through ditches, small streams, or surface runoff.  Our goal is to document trouble spots and then work to find reasonable solutions to reduce the amount of soil erosion and phosphorus draining into the lake.  Any information that we collect is strictly used to analyze the pollution sources to Beech Hill Pond and none of the information gathered will be used for enforcement purposes.

The survey will take place from the Spring through the Fall of 2010.