09/11/2025
From Dianne Kopec in regard to the lake levels and control of the dam:
Dear Lake Folks,
We had this very same discussion back in 2022, another dry year. I was KCOA President then, and just before our annual meeting I contacted Rob Mohler, Senior Environmental Engineer for the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). I gave him the size of Pushaw Lake (surface area of 5,056 acres), the width of the spillover of the dam gate (3 feet), and the requirement from the state DEP that we maintain nine inches of water flowing over the dam gate from May through October. I asked Rob to calculate how much the lake depth dropped each month due to outflow over the dam gate versus evaporation from the entire surface of the lake. Here are his calculations:
Lake depth lost each month during the summer (June, July, August) due to evaporation = 5.2 inches per month
Lake depth lost each month due to outflow over dam gate open to a depth of 9 inches = 0.85 inches per month
Lake depth lost each month due to outflow over dam gate open to a depth of 4 inches ~ 0.45 inches per month (less than half an inch of lake depth lost per month)
During the spring when adult alewives are returning to the ocean, after spawning in the lake, we maintain the water depth over the gate at the required nine inches, to accommodate the larger fish. However, in the spring when water levels are higher, the adult alewives returning to the ocean usually swim right over the top of the dam, as the water flows over the entire length of the dam.
Currently there are four inches of water flowing over the dam gate (I was down at the dam at 6:30 this morning and measured it), this is less than mandated by the state. However, a dedicated group of volunteers, Rich Dressler, Ron Dupuis, Mike Belliveau, and myself monitor the dam gate daily and remove any beaver sticks or branches that may block fish passage. This seems to work well, as every few days thousands of juvenile alewives pour over the dam gate as they migrate downstream to the ocean. This seems to be a reasonable compromise between meeting the needs of lake residents who want to preserve the depth of less than an inch of water attributed to the outflow over the gate and the needs of the fish and wildlife who live in Pushaw Lake. If the lake outlet was completely blocked there would be a die-off of the juvenile alewives unable to migrate downstream. Such a die-off of juvenile alewives happened a few years ago on Little Pushaw Pond when beaver blocked the outlet. There would also be a build-up of surface scum on the water above the dam.
Those of us who have chosen to live along Pushaw Lake appreciate the natural environment we share with the fish, birds, and wildlife. As our climate continues to change, we will experience more extremes in rainfall and temperature, which will affect the water levels in Pushaw Lake. We need to remember that the lake is a living environment, not a swimming pool, and accommodate the needs of our environment. We will not violate the state regulations and completely close off outflow at the dam gate.
Be well, Dianne
