PROGRAMS
YOUTH CONSERVATION CORPS
The Youth Conservation Corps, one of TLEA's most successful programs, began in 2002. In 2001, TLEA received a major Section 319(H) Grant under the Federal Clean Water Act. Part of those funds went towards developing a Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) with the primary object of providing low-cost erosion control solutions on private properties in the watershed. The basic idea is that the YCC provides the design and labor to implement the projects, and the landowners pay for the materials and agree to maintain the results for five years.
Federal funding for the YCC program ended in 2004. Since then, the continuation of the YCC program has depended completely on grants from the four towns bordering the lake and from private foundations, as well as on contributions from individuals.
The Problem
As the land surrounding Thompson Lake has been developed, the quality of the water has been jeopardized. Deforestation, gravel driveways, ditches, and recently excavated soil allow soil particles to be carried directly into the lake even in light rain. Those soil particles not only fill in the lake but also carry with them all sorts of chemicals including any discarded fertilizer products. The soil particles also carry phosphorus, an essential nutrient. In excess, phosphorus can support an algae bloom that turns the lake green. Its effects are harmful not only to the environment but also to land values and recreation. The damage is extremely difficult to fix. Another problem is shoreline erosion caused by the action of waves which also move soil into the water. A third problem comes with thoughtless landscaping. Those beautiful lawns extending all the way to the shore are perfect conduits for lawn chemicals, of which phosphorous is the most prevalent.
YCC Goals
The YCC is headed by an adult coordinator who meets with the landowner and assists with the design and permit process when necessary. The crew consists of a crew chief and 2-5 high school age youths whom TLEA employs for 8 weeks each summer. Before beginning work the crew receives CPR instruction and learns how to construct remedial devices. Typically the YCC completes 20 to 25 erosion projects during each summer. When possible, crewmembers also instruct landowners about the dangers of nonpoint source pollution (soil erosion) and ways to prevent future problems.
Solutions & YCC Projects
The solution to most of the run-off chemical problems is filtration. Filtering naturally through an expanse of duff (similar to the floor of the woods) and/or mulch will remove most of the chemicals. Slowing down the speed of the runoff will also prevent the run-off of particles into the lake. Riprap, composed of small jagged rocks, works well to stabilize shoreline and ditch erosion. Although the YCC crews use no power tools, they can provide a cost-effective solution to many problems by the installation of razor bars and open-top box culverts. These devices divert the water into vegetated buffers. The crew works with riprap to line roadside ditches and construct retention pools. They also use riprap to prevent shoreline erosion. In other cases they transform bare patches of soil into attractive vegetated buffer strips of perennials, shrubs, and ground cover, which are also an effective way to intercept phosphorus and sediment.
Other Benefits of the YCC
The YCC work obviously is an invaluable resource for Thompson Lake. The YCC also helps the young people themselves by providing a beneficial summer's employment they can be proud of. While serving as good examples and helping to educate the public, the young people themselves serve as effective environmental ambassadors. In fact, several former YCC crewmembers have gone on to careers related to erosion control.
The 2009 Campaign
TLEA’s YCC crew successfully completed their 8th consecutive season of solving erosion problems around the watershed. Coordinated by Joe Kiley and directed by crew chief Drew McLaren, this year the team completed 21 projects. Of these 12 were in Otisfield, with the others divided between Oxford, Poland, and Casco. The preponderance of Otisfield sites resulted from the data made available in TLEA’s 2008 watershed survey, which covered only Otisfield. This summer the crew completed 4 buffer plantings, a larger number than usual, in addition to projects involving box culverts and razor bars, placement of erosion control mix, and infiltration steps. In the summer’s largest project, the crew installed 48 yards of rip-rap on the shoreline behind the Outpost store in Otisfield. The full YCC report is now available here.
How do I find out if the YCC can help me?
Joe Kiley, who has served as YCC Coordinator for the past several years, can be reached either at the TLEA telephone (207-539-4535) or at his Bolster's Mills home at 207-743-0014. Or you can email him at jkiley@megalink.net. He'll be glad to look over any problems you think you might have, and give you some free advice on how to proceed. He'll also explain how the permitting process works and, should you need it, help work your way through the DEP and town regulations governing Shoreland Zoning.
2009 YCC Crew, about to fix a homeowner's erosion problem
48 Cubic Yards of RipRap installed at the Outpost, Otisfield
A new Box Culvert
