Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2017ME322B

REAL TIME DATA FOR SEBAGO LAKE TO SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, LAKE RESEARCH, UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH TRAINING, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Institute: Maine
Year Established: 2017 Start Date: 2017-03-01 End Date: 2018-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $28,200 Total Non-Federal Funds: $56,704

Principal Investigators: Emily Lesher, Brie Holme, Ryan Dorland, Nina Eduljee

Project Summary: Sebago Lake is the drinking water source for 15% of Maine’s population. And like other Maine lakes, it is facing challenges due to climate change, competing uses, and development within the watershed. We propose the deployment of a high frequency data collecting and transmitting buoy to provide the ability to monitor the lake’s response to stress and build an understand of fundamental lake dynamics. This data and research resulting from it will inform sustainable management of the lake in the short and long term. While monitoring is a crucial technical need, we also view it as an opportunity for stakeholder engagement and education. Four stakeholder groups will drive the delivery platform and design of data products resulting from the buoy measurements thus maximizing the opportunity for the data to inform stakeholders and encourage their sustainable use of the lake. The collaboration between St. Joseph’s College and Portland Water District is a natural one due to shared interest in Sebago Lake, complementary interdisciplinary skill sets, and the ability to leverage existing relationships between PWD and stakeholders. Three undergraduate students will be trained in technical topics and stakeholder engagement, with one exclusively focused on social science. They will have the opportunity to work with both SJC and PWD scientists, leaving them uniquely prepared to tackle Maine’s sustainability challenges.