Lake Auburn Watershed Protection Commission

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Lake Auburn Watershed Protection Commission

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Our mission is to protect the water quality of Lake Auburn through watershed management, conservation, and education.

10/18/2026

🦅Thank you to all who joined us on our birding walk last week!

We had a big crew turn out to participate in Fall Global Big Day – a day devoted to birdwatching and data collection across the world.

The birds were a bit more shy on this particular morning compared to previous walks, but we still saw 16 species (including common loon, bald eagle, red-breasted nuthatch, and ruby-crowned kinglet), and enjoyed the autumn sunshine. A forested watershed does double duty in that it protects water quality and provides great habitat, and the Lake Auburn watershed is no exception!

Interested in hearing about future events? Head to our website for more information!

10/16/2026

Join us for a Halloween-themed plant propagation volunteer event! We will pot cuttings from Maine native shrubs and build overwintering chambers in our greenhouse. Next year, LAWPC will give out successfully rooted cuttings to landowners to promote native plantings that help with erosion-control. Come in a costume and enjoy apple c***r, coffee, donuts, and free live stakes!

📆Friday, October 30th
🕙10am-12pm
📍Evergreen Outdoor Education, 45 Andrew Drive, Auburn

For more information and to RSVP, visit https://forms.gle/WDzm7cqR9eixeWAG7. We hope to see you there!

10/14/2026

✨LAWPC is adding new volunteer roles, and we want YOU to join us!

Volunteers are crucial to the work of LAWPC. In sharing their time and expertise, volunteers help us provide more resources to the public, engage more with the local community, and monitor water quality. Being a volunteer is a huge help to us and to the communities that rely on Lake Auburn as their drinking water source, and we hope these opportunities will also help volunteers gain new skills, knowledge, and experience. Check out the available roles below, and head to https://lakeauburnwater.org/get-involved/volunteer to submit an interest survey.

🎣Fishing Line Collection
🥾Trail Stewardship
🍀Plant Species Inventorying
✏️Educational Materials Creation
🚶🏾‍♀️Interpretive Walk Guides
💧Water Quality Sampling
📩Clerical Work

10/02/2026

🦆Join LAWPC and Maine Master Naturalist Christine Murray for fall Big Day! Plenty of birds pass by Lake Auburn on their migratory routes, and we'll be keeping our eyes and ears open for migrating and resident birds alike!

📆Saturday, October 10th
🕙8-10am
📍Whitman Spring Road Trail (south entrance), Auburn

No experience or tools necessary, though binoculars may be helpful if you have them. For more information and to RSVP, visit https://forms.gle/MeqXSSR4EZhAeJSU6

09/30/2026

💧Happy Source Water Protection Week!

The best way to ensure clean drinking water for our community is to protect our drinking water source. Lake Auburn Watershed Protection Commission exists to protect the Lake Auburn watershed, and we do so through a combination of land conservation, land use management, and education. But source water protection can't begin and end with one organization -- it requires the combined and sustained efforts of the community living within the watershed and those utilizing the resource. This includes people who use Lake Auburn's water, but also those who live, work, commute, and play within the watershed boundaries. It may include you!

If you're looking for a simple and impactful way to help protect Lake Auburn, we encourage you to focus on combating nutrient pollution. Nutrient pollution, specifically phosphorus, is one of the biggest impediments to clean drinking water. Phosphorus is the limiting factor for algal growth, meaning that inputs of phosphorus can lead to algae blooms, fish kills, and water quality issues.

There are many ways for community members to help control nutrient pollution, but three big ones are:

🏡Controlling erosion on your property
🐕Properly disposing of pet waste
💩Regularly inspecting & pumping your septic system

If you'd like more information on source water protection, nutrient pollution, and ways you can help protect your watershed, please contact us at [email protected], or visit our website at www.lakeauburnwater.org. By working together, we can protect our source water and ensure that Lake Auburn remains pristine for years to come.

09/29/2026

Join us tomorrow for a morning of invasive species removal at Basin Park! We'll be tackling some persistent populations of Asiatic bittersweet and multiflora rose, both of which are highly invasive and can crowd out native species and alter soil chemistry.

📆Wednesday, September 30th
🕙10am-12pm
📍Basin Park, 576 North Auburn Road, Auburn

Tools, snacks, and light gloves will be provided (or feel free to bring your own). Please wear comfortable outdoor work clothes and bring water. For more information and to RSVP, visit https://forms.gle/Prd2EmjWPrhhpocu5

09/18/2026

✨Happy World Water Monitoring Day!

Since its inception in 2002, this day of community action has encouraged over 80,000 people in over 50 countries to monitor conditions in their local water bodies, and take action to improve water quality.

Maine has a long history of volunteer water quality monitoring, with organizations like and organizing and supporting volunteers across the state. Becoming a volunteer water quality monitor allows you to have a direct impact on the health of your local environment, not to mention the benefits of regularly getting out on the water and learning skills in monitoring and invasive species identification.

But, even if you can't commit to regular monitoring, there are plenty of ways to help support the health of your local lake, river, or stream! Mitigating the erosion of soil can go a long way toward keeping water quality high, and there are a number of steps you can take on your own property:

🪻Transition your yard from grass to native plants, which have more robust root systems to hold down soil.
🌿If you live on the water, add a native plant buffer at the water's edge.
🛣Regularly assess your dirt or gravel driveway for erosion issues, and keep up to date on maintenance and regrading.
💧Consider permeable alternatives to paving, which allow water to infiltrate into the soil rather than running off.

🏡And, if you live in the Lake Auburn watershed, contact us for a free erosion site assessment! We'll provide you with tailored recommendations for your property that can help address erosion issues and protect water quality. Contact us at [email protected] for more information.

09/15/2026

🚽It's Septic Smart Week!

Though most people prefer not to think too hard about where their waste goes, you shouldn't ignore your septic system! Paying attention to your system, treating it well, and following an inspection and maintenance schedule can help prevent minor problems from becoming major, both for your wallet and for the watershed.

Why does it matter? Well, septic waste is a source of nutrient pollution and pathogens. While functioning septic systems separate out solid waste from liquid and allow bacteria to break down excess nutrients, failing systems can allow untreated waste to pollute the soil, groundwater, and surface waterbodies. This can lead to pathogens entering the water supply, as well as contribute large amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen, which can lead to algal blooms and hypoxia (lack of oxygen). These are important things to consider, both for the health of our watershed and for the protection of your well water.

💧Help protect Lake Auburn and the surrounding watershed by being ! Scroll through the photos for septic best practices, and check out https://www.epa.gov/septic/septic-system-care-and-maintenance for more information.

09/12/2026

👀Looking for a way to help protect your watershed? Volunteer with LAWPC!

Volunteers play a critical role in protecting Lake Auburn and the surrounding watershed. In sharing their time and expertise, volunteers help us track changing conditions, engage community members, and keep the watershed clean. Lake Auburn would not be what it is today without the help of our volunteers – join us today to help make a difference in the health of your watershed!

Current open roles include:
🌿Plant inventorying
📝Educational materials creation
🥾Trail stewardship
🎣Fishing line collection
💧Water quality monitoring
✨And more!

We'll provide details about all our volunteer openings on this page in the coming weeks, but you can also check out volunteer role descriptions by visiting www.lakeauburnwater.org/get-involved/volunteer.

09/10/2026

🍂Hunting season is almost here!

Expanded archery season begins September 12th, and hunting is allowed on various LAWPC properties around Lake Auburn (many of which include trails). Stay alert while outdoors this fall, and take additional precautions to keep yourself and your pets safe.

🔶Be aware of hunting areas and season dates.
🔶Stay on designated trails.
🔶Make yourself and your pets visible by wearing blaze orange gear.
🔶Add reflective gear if out near dawn or dusk.
🔶Make your presence known to hunters by talking or whistling.

For more information about hunting on LAWPC properties, as well as a map of where hunting is allowed, visit lakeauburnwater.org/recreation/hunting. Have fun out on the trails this fall, and stay safe!

📸Photo by Marcel Strauß on Unsplash

Address

268 Court St
Auburn, ME
04210

Telephone

+12077846469

Website

http://www.lakeauburnwater.org/

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