Volunteer Opportunities

We need your help!

DLWA is looking for volunteers to get involved with a variety of projects in the watershed. For more information about any of the listed volunteer opportunities, please contact Julia McLeod at 207-549-3836 or Julia@dlwa.org.

We hope you will consider helping out with one or more of the following important projects:

Courtesy Boat Inspection Team

Each summer, from June to September, courtesy boat inspectors (CBIs) monitor boats entering and exiting Damariscotta Lake at the State Launch on Route 213.  CBIs generally spend 2 hour shifts at the launch. The role of a CBI is to:

• Help boaters inspect boats and equipment for plant fragments,
• Ask boaters to inspect their boats and trailers before and after every launch,
• Give out information about invasive aquatic plants,
• Make sure boaters understand Maine law regarding the transport of these plants.

All courtesy boat inspectors receive a Courtesy Boat Inspector T-shirt and are provided with materials and information to pass out to boaters. 

Education Committee

DLWA's Education Committee, led by volunteers Dave and Julie Rand, meets several times during the school year to plan and present programs to 6th grade students in Jefferson, Nobleboro, Somerville, and Washington Schools.  The different programs teach and engage students in activities focusing on issues ranging from water quality to recycling. The education committee visits the schools several times during the year and hosts Water Wonder Day in June, which is a full day of environmental education on the lake for students from all four schools.

Events Committee

The DLWA Events Committee, led by volunteer Sandy Andrejcak, works together to plan the organization’s annual meeting, held in August, and other major events. In 2009, the committee put together a very successful Chimney Farm community event at the Nobleboro Grange.

Invasive Plant Patrol

Invasive plant patrollers are needed to protect Damariscotta Lake from infestations of invasive aquatic plants. In 2009 a volunteer plant patroller found an infestation of an invasive plant called Hydrilla in the lake. As a result of this discovery, DLWA is organizing a patrol of the lake's entire 45-mile shoreline in 2010. To make this initiative a success, many volunteers are needed to each take a short section of shoreline and check it for invasive plants once a year.

The invasive plant patrol is the perfect volunteer opportunity for anyone who enjoys paddling, snorkeling, or scuba diving or for those who are concerned with keeping Damariscotta Lake free of invasive plants. The role of a plant patroller is to survey an area of the lake once a year, noting what native plants exist in that location and if any suspicious plants are found. The best time of the year to conduct a plant survey is from late June to September, when aquatic plants are fully grown and easy to identify.

Check out the Events Calendar for training opportunities.

LakeSmart Screeners

LakeSmart is a recognition program for shorefront residents who are protecting the lake through good landscaping practices. Screeners evaluate homes of individuals who have volunteered to participate in the program based on criteria in the following categories:

• Road, driveway, and parking areas;
• Structures and septic system;
• Lawn, recreation areas, and footpaths;
• Shorefront and beach areas.

All screeners must attend a special DEP training to participate in this program.

Trail Work

Volunteers are needed to help maintain DLWA’s Davis Stream Trail and West Branch Preserve trail system. Trail work may vary from light brush clearing to chain saw use to the construction of bog bridges. 

Water Quality Monitoring

DLWA’s water quality monitoring team measures the lake’s clarity and dissolved oxygen content twice a month from May into October. Becoming a water quality monitor requires training and re-certification every year.

Back to top

©2003 Damariscotta Lake Watershed Association
Site Designed, Developed & Hosted by: