A relatively new scientific procedure is now being used by the Maine Department of Environment Protection. It’s called Sediment Sensitivity and involves taking a core sample of the lake bottom and analyzing it in a lab for the content of iron, aluminum and phosphorus. We’ve learned over the years that the amount of phosphorus in the water is important in promoting plant growth, thus the emphasis on preventing storm water and ice melt from running directly into the lake, carrying phosphorus with it. Scientists have determined that aluminum bonds well with phosphorus in the sediment in the presence of iron, depending on the ratio of the three elements.
Wilson Lake and Horn Pond have been added to the state testing sights this summer. The two lake associations have agreed to share the cost of the testing procedure and a grant has been obtained to pay for the analysis. The results will determine if either or both lakes are vulnerable to eutrophication (deterioration of water quality) and become eligible for grants to help correct problems.