Androscoggin Lake: Algal Bloom Response

Latest Updates

30 Mile will update this webpage as information becomes available

7/29/2026 – What to do when you see green and suspect a bloom

30 Mile staff monitor on the Lake every two weeks, with volunteer monitors assessing water clarity during the weeks in between. Even with this data collected weekly, conditions can change rapidly. It can be helpful to have additional observations of what you see happening on the lake.

Familiarize yourself with what else may be in the water. There are many things that make up a lake’s ecosystem. Sometimes, things we see are concerning, but other times they are a natural part of a healthy lake. Explore A Field Guide to Aquatic Phenomena and our article “What’s that stuff in the water?” to see if what you are seeing is something other than cyanobacteria.

If you still see what could be an algal bloom, you can contact sara@30mileriver.org and do the following:

• Take photos. Be sure to record the time, date, location, and other observations (smell, size of the algae area, colors, etc.).
• Submit a report. The Maine DEP has a bloom reporting dashboard. You can submit potential blooms for their review here.
• Take a Jar Test. All you need is a clear, pint to quart sized jar to collect a sample of the suspect algae. By letting it sit undisturbed overnight, you can determine if it is possibly cyanobacteria by the way it settles in the jar. Follow the complete instructions here.

7/24/2026 – Bathymetry, Peer Review, Surveys, and Funding Updates

Bathymetry and Sediment Sampling: We have received the updated bathymetric maps for Androscoggin Lake from the US EPA. These provide a detailed understanding of the lake’s depths. The EPA collected data last fall and worked over the winter to render these maps. With this new information, our environmental consultant, Ecological Instincts, can move forward with determining locations for sediment cores to be collected. Collection will be done by the Maine DEP and supported by 30 Mile staff. These samples will be analyzed to help us better understand how the lake’s sediments are impacting its health. You can view the map here.  

Engineering Peer Review Study: Our engineering consultants at VHB held a meeting with a few members of the community with local knowledge of Dead River PCD operations and maintenance. They are continuing to work on completing a peer review of the previously completed E-Pro engineering study from 2002-03. Their review will focus on assessing consistency in methodology, data sources, and study results with current engineering best practices, as well as suggestions for future modeling or investigations. 

Agricultural Surveys: Last week, the Ecological Instincts team completed their field survey to verify land cover types for their land cover analysis. They had previously completed a draft of their desktop analysis, which will now be updated with these survey results. Assessing land cover helps determine the extent of nutrients and sediments that could be entering the lake from the watershed. 

Grant Funding Updates: Lastly, we have received news that the Town of Wayne has been conditionally awarded the requested Maine DEP 604(b) grant funds from the proposal that 30 Mile submitted in May.

6/30/2026 – Engineering consultant to complete peer review analysis

30 Mile has contracted with VHB Engineering, a national firm with an office in Augusta. VHB will provide consultant services to evaluate the Dead River Pollution Control Device (“dam”) and its role in water quality on Androscoggin Lake. A portion of ALIC’s $25,000 commitment to the algal bloom study project will fund this work.

The scope of VHB’s work will involve a peer review analysis of the extensive E‑Pro engineering studies completed in 2002-03. Those studies comprehensively evaluated the Dam and its effectiveness in limiting phosphorus entering Androscoggin Lake from Androscoggin River backflow through the Dead River. VHB’s review will also recommend any additional study needed to evaluate watershed conditions that may have changed significantly since the early 2000s.

6/15/2026 – Funding and monitoring update

On June 10th, Wayne voters attending Town Meeting approved Wayne supporting  this project with $15,000. Thank you to everyone who came to

6/3/2026 – Algal Bloom Forum

Thank you to everyone who attended the Androscoggin Algal Bloom Forum in person or online. If you weren’t able to attend, the presentations and Q&A have been recorded and are available to watch (or rewatch) at http://youtu.be/C9z3WJVmZzs. We are working to update our Q&A page to reflect new questions as soon as possible.  

Forum summary: 

Sara York, 30 Mile’s Water Quality Specialist, reviewed progress made since the previous forum in November; 

• Organized the Androscoggin Lake Steering Committee: 8 people representing Wayne, Leeds, ALIC, 30 Mile, businesses, lakefront owners, and lake users that will guide four work groups (science, government, fundraising, communications).
• Secured funding: Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, ALIC, 30 Mile,  the Town of Leeds, With pending funding from the Town of Wayne and Maine DEP
• Hired consultants: Ecological Instincts (Jen Jesperson) for watershed planning and VHB Engineering for the Dead River dam peer review study.

Jen Jesperson of Ecological Instincts, the hired environmental consultant for this project, spoke about the work she will be doing to complete the nine-element watershed-based management plan. This plan is essential for understanding current causes and sources to develop scientifically sound lake and watershed restoration strategies. She highlighted; 

• Androscoggin Lake has sensitive sediment chemistry and is above the phosphorus threshold where it becomes more likely to sustain algal blooms. But there is still potential for recovery. 
• Phosphorus levels being investigated include external loading such as runoff from the watershed (roads, driveways, agriculture, septic systems, the Dead River backflushing), and internal loading (phosphorus released from lake bottom sediments when oxygen is depleted). 
• Watershed modeling and analysis will be completed to determine the major sources of phosphorus, their relative contributions, and how much needs to be reduced. 

Sara York, reviewed the data collection to be completed and utilized this season; 

• Updated lake bathymetry mapping (depth/volume map)
• Sediment core sampling (10+ locations)
• Monthly/bi-weekly plankton sampling to identify cyanobacteria species and abundance
• Dissolved oxygen surveys across lake to determine if anoxic conditions impact phosphorus in shallow areas
• Storm runoff sampling from tributaries
• ADCP instrument and gauges on the Dead River to measure backflushing events and water levels
• Peer review of 2000s-era Dead River dam studies
• Updating septic records for a septic system loading analysis 

To help support this work, you can donate to the “Keep It Blue” campaign here.

6/1/2026 – Funding and monitoring update

In May, the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund (MOHF) Board voted unanimously to fund the 30 Mile River Watershed Association’s grant application for work on Androscoggin Lake. This $25K grant will support an environmental assessment to identify the causes of the algal blooms and management strategies to protect public health. Project partners include Maine DEP, ALIC, and the towns of Wayne and Leeds.

Work has already begun this spring with intensified data collection that will continue throughout the summer and fall, including sediment sampling (10+ locations), plankton sampling, stream sampling (10+ locations), dissolved oxygen transects, and recording backflushing events of the Dead River. Data collection will be conducted by 30 Mile staff, and supported by trained volunteers and Maine DEP. This data will inform the work to be completed by Ecological Instincts, which will include phosphorus loading analyses, watershed modeling, and more, all leading toward developing a U.S. EPA-approved Nine-Element Watershed-Based Management Plan (required for certain grant eligibility). Completing this extensive, science-based work will help us better understand the factors causing the blooms and evaluate potential solutions to help prevent them. 

5/1/2026 – Androscoggin algal bloom Work Groups update

The Androscoggin Lake Steering Committee’s four Work Groups (science, government, communications, and fundraising) have been assigned and have conducted initial planning meetings. Over 30 volunteers signed up and will be participating in a wide variety of tasks. Work over the next month will include applying for grants, finalizing data collection methodologies, planning summer events, reviewing ordinances, and building relationships with local, state and federal representatives. Work with the technical team, which includes lake science experts, DEP staff, engineers, and 30 Mile staff, is also underway, with an immediate focus on the Dead River. 

The next public forum is planned for Wednesday evening, June 3rd, 2026, at the Wayne Community Church. Jen Jespersen of Ecological Instincts, the consultant hired to conduct the data analysis, modeling, and planning for remediation efforts, will be speaking about their progress to date. Additional forum details will be available soon. 

At their April town meeting, the Town of Leeds approved $5,000 to support this work. The request for funding from Wayne will be voted on at June’s town meeting. 

Updates, FAQs, and additional information on Androscoggin Lake’s algal blooms can be found at 30mileriver.org/androscoggin-bloom. 

The Androscoggin Lake Steering Committee represents Wayne, Leeds, ALIC, 30 Mile, businesses, lakefront owners, and lake users – all working together to provide a forum for meaningful citizen dialogue and discussion to foster a realistic and timely action plan to restore the health of Androscoggin Lake.