Welcome
The Acton-Shapleigh Youth Conservation Corps (ASYCC), was founded in 2001, and is committed to protecting the waterways within Mousam Lake and Square Pond Watershed.
This is achieved by providing education, community outreach, courtesy boat inspections, technical assistance, and the installation of effective erosion control practices to the communities of Acton and Shapleigh.
The ASYCC continues to work to sustain and protect the valuable waterways of Goose Pond, Loon Pond, Mousam Lake, and Square Pond for the enjoyment of the community and its visitors.
Announcements
November 29, 2021
Our 2021 Annual Report is now available.
October 6, 2021
Our Courtesy Boat Inspection Season has started as of April 21, 2021 and now we are in full season mode.
Here are the number of Inspections done as of Sept 25,2021:
| 2021 | 6,605 | 1,062 | 7,667 |
| 2020 | 7,702 | 1,621 | 9,323 |
| 2019 | 5,758 | 908 | 6,666 |
| 2018 | 6,858 | 1,012 | 7,870 |
August 25, 2021
In 2021, the Erosion Control Crew (ECC) has completed 22 erosion control projects during it's eight week summer program. Seventeen of those projects qualified for land owner material reimbursement under the Federal 319 grant awarded since 2018 for Mousam Lake, and begun in 2021 on Square Pond. The Federal Grant programs will remain in place for several more years with extensions. Eleven 319 grant projects were completed on Square Pond that qualify for the reimbursement of materials spent by owners (up to a $400 max). Seven 319 grant projects were also completed on Mousam Lake that also qualify for reimbursement. The administrator for the grants - York County Soil and Water Conservation District should be sending out reimbursements to owners in the next few weeks.
August 4, 2021
Our 17th annual golf tournament was held at Province Lake Golf Course on Friday July 30, 2021.
We had a successful golf fundraiser this year – our 17th Annual event at Province Lake Golf course on Friday July 30th. Ninety-two golfers signed up for the event, and we were fortunate to have a predicted rainy day miss us for most of the day. We raised more than $18,000, and want to thank our many sponsors and golfers.
August 4, 2021
The ASYCC BMP workshop held on July 13th was a success and a great example of erosion control work that can be done on our lakes and ponds. See a summary video below:
June 7, 2021
We have a New Grant Sponsor the the ASYCC! The Davis Conservation Foundation provides grants to charitable organizations primarily in northern New England in support of projects related to wildlife, wildlife habitat, environmental protection and outdoor recreation.
June 5, 2021
Our ECC full season will begin June 21, 2021 and continue through August 13, 2021. In addition, we held a pre-season clean the beach day at Mousam Lake on Saturday May 22nd. We are looking forward to another great year with many 319 Grant projects lined up that include home-owner reimbursements.
November 9, 2020
Our 2020 Annual Report is now available.
September 11, 2020
Storm Water Runoff...a Threat to Maine Lake Water Quality
The Mousam Lake watershed has been the beneficiary of a federal grant awarded through the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and USEPA and administered by the York County Soil and Water Conservation District.
As part of this Mousam Lake 319 grant, Dave Landry (an MLRA Board Member) with help from his daughters, have created an educational video regarding storm water runoff in conjuction with a Best Management Practices (BMP) Workshop that was conducted last July by the ASYCC and the York County Soil & Water Conservation District.
Click here to view the video
Or View on You Tube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TaaWqYevls
February 26, 2020
Mousam Lake Property Owners - Grant Money Available
The Mousam Lake watershed has been the beneficiary of a federal grant awarded through the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and USEPA and administered by the York County Soil and Water Conservation District. There is still money available for Mousam Lake shorefront property owners to have erosion control work done during the Summer of 2020.
Individual property owners would be eligible to receive up to $200 to offset project material costs. Additionally, labor for these erosion control projects is provided free of charge by the Acton Shapleigh Youth Conservation Corps (ASYCC).
Projects that would ideally fit this program might be storm water runoff across patios, stairs, or driveways that runs down and into the lake. Simple solutions are available that can address these problems. It should be remembered that storm water runoff into Mousam Lake can be a serious threat to future water quality. There is no better way to protect property values and enhance the public’s enjoyment of the lake than by protecting water quality. By taking advantage of available grant money and the free labor by the ASYCC, property owners can do projects that will help protect the lake for a fraction of the cost that a private contractor might charge.
In 2017 as part of the ongoing effort to protect water quality in Mousam Lake the watershed was surveyed and erosion problems noted. The results of the watershed survey were documented in the publication, Mousam Lake Watershed Survey. By searching in Addendum B and also checking the watershed map included in the survey, lakefront residents can see if their property was one on which a concerning amount of erosion was noted. If shorefront property owners have noted ongoing erosion or note their property listed in the watershed survey, help and in many cases money is available to address the storm water erosion issues.
Mousam Lake watershed residents can obtain more information by contacting:
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-Mark Phelps, ASYCC Project Coordinator: 207-432-7821 eccleader@asycc.com
-Jennifer Harris, grant administrator: 207-324-0888 Ext 208 jharris@yorkswcd.org
-David Landry, MLRA Director: 207-692-3361 david.landry@yahoo.com
Funding for the Mousam Lake grant is provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under Section 319(h) of the Clean Water Act. The funding is administered by the Maine DEP in partnership with the EPA. The EPA does not endorse any commercial products or services. The grant encourages local organizations, primarily volunteer groups, to work collaboratively in addressing watershed issues.
Resources:
February 6, 2020
Visit the Mousam Lake Region Association (MLRA) Facebook Page and Square Pond Improvement Association (SPIA) Facebook Group to learn more about two great associations.