7 Lakes Alliance

06/06/2026

National Trails Day! We have suggestions for you, but don't just take our word for it. We love what our pals at Maine Hikes recommend.

Read the full spotlight 👉

https://www.mainehikes.org/hikes/7-lakes-alliance

Established by the American Hiking Society in 1993, National Trails Day celebrates public trails and volunteer stewardship.

Central Maine has some epic hiking too. Here are 4 hikes to prove it!

06/04/2026

Earlier today, we headed out into the field with Lynn Geiger, the Erosion Control Policy Manager at 7 Lakes Alliance. We checked out a critical culvert drainage outfall project funded in part by Section 319 of the Clean Water Act.

Projects like this are vital because the health of the waters depends largely on what flows into them.

By creating more space to catch sediment before it reaches the lake, we help limit the amount of excess phosphorus entering the lakes, which is a top priority for our Erosion Control team.

For more information on 319 grants and how they benefit the Belgrade Lakes watershed, please visit us online at 7lakesalliance.org!

06/02/2026

Maintaining compliance! 🌊7 Lakes Alliance staff are renewing their credentials, and our 2026 Summer Research students are earning their first water clarity monitor certifications.

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection partners with Lake Stewards of Maine to train and certify volunteers in measuring lake water clarity using a Secchi disk.

The certification allows us to keep submitting our water clarity data to the state database. High-quality data means a healthier future for our lakes!

05/31/2026

Looking forward to the next steps with this important work to combat invasive milfoil. Stop by the June 3 meeting to learn more about the effort.

📍 6 PM on June 3 at the Belgrade Center for All Seasons 1 (Center Dr., Belgrade) with Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)

Be advised, Maine Department of Environmental Protection will be conducting herbicide treatments in a few areas of Messalonskee Lake to combat invasive milfoil. See the official notice from DEP for more information.

05/31/2026

Earlier this month, the Belgrade Lakes Association was pleased to sponsor Sharon Mann’s attendance at the ASLO–SIL Joint Meeting in Montréal, bringing together the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography and the International Society of Limnology. Supporting Sharon’s participation reflects our continued investment in the professionals and scientific partnerships that help protect and preserve our two beautiful lakes.

We work closely with Sharon, 7 Lakes Alliance’s Invasive Aquatics Director, as she oversees the milfoil management efforts on Great Pond and helps safeguard both Great Pond and Long Pond from further invasive aquatic species threats.

Sharon was joined at the conference by her colleague, Dr. Danielle Wain, 7 Lakes Alliance’s Lake Science Director. Together, their participation helps ensure that our local lake protection efforts continue to benefit from the latest research, collaboration, and best practices from the international scientific community.

05/28/2026

Thank you to Belgrade Lakes Association for sponsoring 7 Lakes Alliance's Invasive Aquatics Director, Sharon Mann, to attend ASLO this year! This conference provided a valuable opportunity for 7 Lakes and BLA to learn about the latest scientific research related to issues impacting our watershed, including invasive aquatic species, Gloeotrichia, and algal blooms. Bringing the latest science back to our lakes helps strengthen local conservation efforts and supports informed decision-making for the future of our watershed.

05/28/2026

Practicing boater safety and diving into water quality monitoring requirements 💦

Welcome Summer Research Students! The students will work alongside our Lake Science team on all seven lakes through the summer.

05/27/2026

Learn why vegetative buffers are critical for lake health and how you can help protect water quality when you buffer better! North Pond Association

Buff Enough Workshop details 👇

05/24/2026

As of last week, the North Pond data buoy is officially in! What's the big deal? We're glad you asked! This buoy has sensors to measure water temps, oxygen levels, and algae abundance. With new readings every 15 minutes, this information serves as an "early detection" tool for our lake science team to keep a close eye on water quality and algae activity.

North Pond Association

05/21/2026

That's B, one of our Dive Team Leads, in the water training with the group🤿

Today on the Invasive Aquatics Dive Team Lead orientation docket:

✅ review safety protocols
✅ test dive equipment
✅ identify aquatic plants