China planners discuss ballot questions for November

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by Mary Grow

China Planning Board members used their July 13 meeting to continue to work on planned questions to submit to voters on a Nov. 2 local ballot.

Board Chairman Randall Downer said the draft Solar Energy Systems Ordinance had been submitted to selectmen in advance of their July 19 meeting. Board members are asking selectmen to ask voters to approve it.

Board members further intend to ask voters to decide a question that will become part of the ordinance, after it’s answered: how should solar panels be counted when calculating the percentage of a lot that is covered by man-made structures that impede or change the natural flow of rainwater?

They currently plan to ask voters to approve one of three choices, in a ballot question separate from the ordinance.

— A solar panel counts entirely as an impervious surface diverting rainwater, allowing for the panel’s being tilted (to get more sunlight) so that it covers a little less ground than its actual dimensions.
— A solar panel does not count at all; only its footings that cover a relatively small amount of ground are considered impervious surfaces.
— A compromise proposed by planning board member Scott Rollins: divide the panel area by two, so that for calculation purposes it covers half the area it actually covers.

The point of limiting lot coverage is to allow rainwater to be absorbed into the ground, rather than running into water bodies with whatever pollutants it picks up. China’s current ordinance limits lot coverage to 15 percent in shoreland, stream protection and resource protection areas and to 20 percent in the rest of town.

Solar developers have argued that because the ground under an array of solar panels is covered with grass and other low plants and is mowed no more than twice a year, it adequately absorbs run-off from the panels.

Board members figured that having panels count completely would allow a solar developer to cover up to 20 percent of a lot with panels. The compromise, counting half the panel areas, would allow up to 40 percent of the lot to be covered. If the panels did not count at all, almost an entire lot could be covered, except for setbacks from lot lines.

Board members postponed sending the triple question to selectmen until they have the opinions of two members who were unable to attend the July 13 meeting.

The other potential ballot issue is amending shoreland regulations in China’s Land Use Ordinance to meet state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) requirements for state approval. This issue, too, turned out to involve lot coverage.

China’s current shoreland ordinance does not count driveways, parking areas and similar impervious (or non-vegetated, in DEP parlance) surfaces when calculating lot coverage. DEP says it should.

The change would increase the amount of lot coverage in many shoreland lots. Increasing the lot coverage, planning board members said, could limit future expansion, like applying to add a deck to a camp.

Resident Brent Chesley suggested from the audience that the increase could be offset if another amendment were proposed to increase maximum lot coverage to 20 percent in the shoreland (and the other two restricted areas). DEP regulations allow 20 percent, he said, citing Chapter 1000 in DEP guidelines.

Downer referred to China’s Phosphorus Control Ordinance, approved in 1993 to try to minimize the amount of phosphorus entering China Lake and feeding algal blooms, as a separate limit.

Board members postponed action to their July 27 meeting. In the interim they will ask to have the proposed amendments and, at Chesley’s suggestion, a link to the DEP guidelines posted on the China website, china.govoffice.com, for residents’ information and comments. Downer and Rollins also discussed looking at lakeside lots to see what effects the proposed changes would have.

Downer and Stone are LakeSmart award recipients

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Randy Downer

by Marie Michaud
LakeSmart Coordinator

Randy Downer and Judy Stone have over 14 acres of undeveloped property on the west side of China Lake. Randy took me on an amazing tour of the property, and I will share some of the experience with you in this article.

We started at the camp road where we saw a low area that in springtime pools water. It is home to 100 to 500 wood frog larvae and the water is called an “ephemeral pool”. Ephemeral means that the pool of water lasts only a short time. This undisturbed land is a bird sanctuary for local and migratory birds. While we were there, we could hear the songs of the American Kestrel, Wood duck and Spotted Sandpiper to name a few. I had never heard of a Veery Bird, but these birds breed here!

There are two streams that travel through this property. The land is heavily forested and has low areas to help slow down the flow heading to the lake. The tall, vegetated berm located at the waterfront is a good example of a natural barrier that can prevent any harmful pollutants from entering the lake. In the past 12 years, I have seen few properties that have such a berm.

The variety of natural plants on the property was amazing. It was truly uplifting just to walk among the trees, shrubs, understory, and the ground cover of various grasses. The red oaks and white oaks stood majestically.

This property is a good example of natural and wild. It welcomes wildlife. Sometimes it is good to just walk on such land to remember Mother Earth; natural and unbroken.

You too can help our land if you are willing. Feel free to contact China LakeSmart for some ideas and assistance at ChinaLakeSmart@gmail.com.

LakeSmart Award earned by Peter and Sandra Nelson

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Peter Nelson

 

by Marie Michaud
LakeSmart Coordinator

China Lake Association’s LakeSmart Volunteer Program has recently awarded Peter and Sandra Nelson the LakeSmart Award. On their property there is a wide row of flowers and shrubs lining one entire side of their lawn. This vegetation absorbs any sheet flow from heavy rainstorms that accumulate on the lawn. They also have low, uneven areas on the lawn that hold any rainwater headed to the lake. Their lakeside buffer is composed of shrubs, duff, ground cover that is framed with tall trees. The buffer vegetation prevents any pollutants from entering the lake during heavy rains without affecting their wonderful view of the lake!

If you are a lakeside property owner, would you like to invite our volunteers to offer ideas on how you can help our lake? We also have a Youth Conservation Program that can get any of the proposed ideas completed for you. They can plant shrubs, shade trees, and low growing vegetations. They also build infiltration steps, infiltration trenches, walkways, help with erosion issues at the waterfront like rip rap work and a host of other best management practices that you may be interested in adding to your lake buffer.

To contact LakeSmart you can call 207-242-0240 or email ChinaLakeSmart@gmail.com today! We are looking to accumulate work for the YCC’s 2022 season.

Three Mile Pond Association president presented with appreciation award

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Tom Whittaker (contributed photo)

COMMUNITY COMMENTARY

by Scott Pierz
President, China Region Lakes Alliance

As President of the China Region Lakes Alliance (CRLA), it was my privilege to be the keynote speaker at the Three Mile Pond (TMP) Association’s annual meeting held on Saturday, July 10, 2021. The TMP Association is comprised of residents of China, Vassalboro and Windsor, Maine.

An audience of around 55 people attended and information was presented about the programs offered by the CRLA, including its Courtesy Boat Inspection (CBI) program, the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) Program, as well as the statewide LakeSmart Program.

During the final portion of the meeting a formal presentation was made to the TMP Association President, Thomas Whittaker, for his leadership and commitment to the TMP Association.

Seen in the photo is Tom Whittaker receiving a hand-made woodcut of Three Mile Pond and its watershed created by George Gunning, a master woodcarver who, along with his wife Donna, have been members of the Three Mile Pond Association for over 50 years. Seen in the background is Bob Moore, TMP Vice President.

Congratulations Tom Whittaker and the rest of the TMP Association’s Board of Directors for their great work!

CHINA: Sheriff’s office to provide reports on patrol shifts

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by Mary Grow

China selectmen dealt with a miscellaneous agenda at their July 6 meeting, including meeting a representative of the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Department. Staff Sergeant Frank Hatch described the type of reports town officials can expect under their contract for 10 hours a week of KSO service.

Hatch said whenever a deputy finishes a shift in China, the deputy will file a summary report. Hatch will review the report and forward it to the town office.

Selectmen were pleased with the first report they had received. Hatch said reports can be expanded if selectmen decide they want more information on some topics.

China Broadband Committee (CBC) Chairman Robert O’Connor attended the July 6 meeting virtually to explain the committee’s request for $10,000 from the selectmen’s contingency fund. The committee needs to contract for a survey of current broadband infrastructure, to get an accurate estimate of construction costs to upgrade and expand service.

CBC members hoped to have a firmer figure by mid-August. They plan to ask selectmen to propose to voters a Nov. 2 bond issue to cover the costs, with the amount of the bond to be based on survey results.

A grant application to the State of Maine to fund the survey was rejected. CBC members now plan to repay the $10,000 from the bond – which, selectmen pointed out, voters might not approve. Meanwhile, the committee has learned that the survey will probably take two months, instead of the one month they had hoped would be enough.

After discussing contingencies and possible other funding sources, including China’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) fund, selectmen postponed a decision to their July 19 meeting.

The selectmen voted unanimously to accept a $1,750 grant from New England Grassroots Environmental Fund to support the China for a Lifetime Committee’s early-November Community Build by Rockland-based WindowDressers, a non-profit organization that helps residents build insulating window inserts.

Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood said the point person on the WindowDressers visit is Christopher Hahn, chairman of the China for a Lifetime Committee. People seeking information can visit the committee website, https://chinaforalifetime.com, or email the committee at ChinaForALifetime@gmail.com.

The website says the WindowDressers program welcomes residents of China, Palermo, Vassalboro and Windsor.

By a further series of unanimous votes, Selectboard members:

— Appointed Brent Chesley and Stephen Greene as members of the Board of Appeals. Greene succeeds Virginia Davis, who was not reappointed in June; Chesley succeeds Jeffrey LaVerdiere, who resigned.
— Appointed David Ross to fill a vacancy on the Recreation Committee.
— Appointed Hapgood as Human Resources Director, correcting an omission when they made appointments for the current fiscal year.
— Approved a contract with Fowler’s Roofing, in Chelsea, to repair the roof of the barn near the town office for $1,800, with Hapgood to monitor any extra costs.
— Approved a Remote Participation Policy to govern procedures at Selectboard meetings done partly or entirely remotely.

The new policy is on the website, china.govoffice.com, alphabetically under “Ordinances, Policies and Orders.”

The next regular China selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, July 19.

CHINA: Only half dozen attend first broadband committee information meeting

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by Mary Grow

Only half a dozen residents came in person to the China Broadband Committee’s (CBC) first public informational meeting July 11, with three or four more watching virtually; but discussion was lively and varied during and after the committee’s slideshow.

The purpose of the meeting was twofold: to explain what the committee, created by China selectmen in 2017, is doing and plans to do, and to enlist support for the expanded and improved broadband service committee members hope to offer.

Sharing the explanations, committee members said their goal is to provide affordable, reliable, high-speed internet to every China householder who wants it. They talked about the need for adequate bandwidth so students can do schoolwork while parents manage their office work from home, without computers slowing.

A main advantage of the plan, in committee members’ opinions, is that the town will own the fiber network. The committee has worked for months with Mark Ouellette, President of Machias-based Axiom Technologies, and plans to contract with his company to run the system.

Replying to questions from resident Brent Chesley, Ouellette said his standard contracts run for 10 to 15 years, with “kick-out clauses” at three-year intervals in case China officials become dissatisfied. Axiom will be the internet service provider, will be responsible for all needed repairs and will hire a local service technician to provide speedy customer service.

To make the system work, a new fiberoptic network needs to be built throughout the town. The first steps in building the network are surveying existing infrastructure, notably telephone poles, and obtaining construction money.

CBC members are ready to contract with Hawkeye Connections, based in Poland, Maine, to do the survey. The cost is estimated at $10,000. So far, an application for a state planning grant has failed, and China selectmen have postponed action on using town funds to their July 19 meeting.

Until the survey is done, the construction cost is a rough estimate: $5 to $6 million. Committee members intend to ask selectmen to ask voters to approve a bond issue on Nov. 2 to cover the cost – or maybe only part, if the CBC can get one or more construction grants, committee member Jamie Pitney suggested.

Grants are definitely a possibility, ex officio committee member and Selectman Janet Preston said, because “Broadband is the buzzword right now, with federal and state governments.”

Ouellette agreed. Municipally-owned broadband is “a movement” in Maine, he said, partly because of the pandemic increasing the need for reliable service and partly because many residents are tired of the inadequacies of their commercial providers.

Another point committee members made repeatedly is that their plan will not increase taxes. User fees will cover Axiom’s costs and profit and the bond repayment. After the first two years, fees will generate revenue for the town, which will increase when the bond is fully repaid (presumably after 20 years).

The present plan is for tiered levels of service at different prices. Ouellette and committee members have repeatedly said they hope to price the lowest tier, 50 over 50 (50 megabits download and 50 megabits upload), at around $55 a month and the highest tier, gig over gig (one gigabit down and one gigabit up), at no more than $200 a month.

The construction phase is expected to last up to two years and to include free connections and hook-ups for all immediate subscribers. People who build a new house or decide they want broadband later are likely to be charged to connect; but grants, broadband revenue or some other source might control costs.

The system will have excess capacity to accommodate growth, Ouellette said.

Committee members did not ignore the uncertainties in their projections and plans. One unknown is how many China residents will sign up for Axiom’s service. Revenue projections are based on an initial rate of 35 percent, or 835 households – conservative, committee members said – and a five percent a year increase.

Construction costs are another unknown, not only because of lack of information about current facilities, but also, committee members said, because growing interest in broadband expansion could lead to higher materials prices, supply bottlenecks, contractors’ delays or all three.

Committee member Tod Detre pointed out that if voters approve the bond issue on Nov. 2, selectmen can postpone acting if too few residents have signed up, prices have gone too high or other unforeseen difficulties have arisen.

Committee members and audience member Paul Blair, a Winslow native who now lives in Silicon Valley and vacations on Three Mile Pond, hope all will go smoothly. They listed some of the benefits if China had one of the best broadband systems in the state, including offering gig over gig service:

— Part-time residents like Blair could spend more time – and money – in town, because they could work from their vacation homes, visit their doctors via telemedicine and generally be geographically more independent.
— Full-time residents, especially those currently poorly served or not served at all, would have faster, more reliable internet for work, education, socializing, entertainment and other on-line activities.
— New businesses, especially high-tech businesses, might consider locating in China, making the CBC plan “an investment to develop the community,” Pitney said – but not to turn China into a city, Blair and fellow audience member Jeanne Marquis added.

The July 11 community meeting was recorded and is available for viewing on the town website, www.china.govoffice.com, under the Live Stream heading on the left side. The Live Stream page includes lists of previous and future meetings.

Detre has the assignment of developing a CBC website on which information can be posted between meetings. He invites anyone with website experience who would like to help to get in touch with him at tod@tod.net.

CBC members scheduled their next virtual committee meeting for 5 p.m. Thursday, July 15. One topic on the agenda will be planning future informational events.

China comprehensive plan revision – comments due by July 13, Nov. 2 vote pending

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by Mary Grow

China’s revised comprehensive plan is scheduled to be submitted to voters at the Nov. 2 local election.

The plan is on the town website, under Comprehensive Planning Committee. The title of the 169-page document is “China 2020 COMP PLAN submitted Dec. 23, 202 Final.” Another copy is on line at maine.gov/dacf/municipalplanning/comp_plans/.

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry is accepting comments on the document through Tuesday, July 13. The purpose of the department review is to make sure the plan is consistent with the state’s Growth Management Act.

Comments should be submitted to ruta.dzenis@maine.gov (Senior Planner Ruta Dzenis) or to the Municipal Planning Assistance Program, Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, 22 State House Station, Augusta ME 04333-0022.

Erskine Academy third trimester honor roll 2021

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(photo credit: Erskine Academy)

Grade 12

High honors: Abbygail Blair, Everett Blair, Johnathan Blair, Nomi Bouwens, Samantha Box, Anthony Chessa, Ashley Clavette, Nolan Cowing, Joleigh Crockett, Cody Devaney, Abigail Dumas, Amelia Evans, Addison Gamage, Margaret Gamage, Avril Goodman, Avery Henningsen, Haley Laird, Isabela Libby, Emily Lowther, Chiara Mahoney, Jonathan Martinez, Gavin Mills, Michael Nicholas III, Brian Ouellette Jr, Olive Padgett, Courtney Paine, Annaliese Patterson, Aiden Pettengill, Anna Pfleging, Sydni Plummer, Harry Rabideau, Kristin Ray, Joshua Tobey and Dylan Wing.

Honors: Mara Adams, Brooke Allen, Philip Allen, Alyeska Anderson, Isabella Bishop, Christopher Bourdon, David Bourgoin, Trevor Brockway, Emma Burtt, Saydi Cote, Joshua Cowing, Jacob Devaney, Phillips Gidney, Patrick Hanley, Hailey Haskell, Braydon Hinds, Paeshance-Rae Horan, Emma Hutchinson, Keith Knowles, Kaylah Kronillis, Sierra LaCroix, Colby Lloyd, Hailey Mayo, Elek Pelletier, Allison Roddy, Acadia Senkbeil, Hanna Spitzer, Riley Sullivan, Riley Toner, Jake Williams, Ryan Williams and Mollie Wilson.

Grade 11

High honors: Isaac Baker, Maylien Beermann, Autumn Boody, Lilian Bray, Emily Clark, Liberty Crockett, Colby Cunningham, Michele De Gugliemi, Isabella DeRose, Luke Desmond, Kaden Doughty, Emma Fortin, Josette Gilman, Samantha Golden, Trace Harris, Grace Hodgkin, Rachel Huntoon, Grace Kelso, Mallory Landry, Aidan Larrabee, Lili Lefebvre, Hunter Marr, Calvin Mason, Wes McGlew, Rebecca Morton, Brady O’Connor, Adam Ochs, Abigail Peaslee, Devon Polley, Lilly Potter, Sarah Praul, Letizia Rasch, Paige Reed, Riley Reitchel, Parker Reynolds, Mackenzie Roderick, Abbey Searles, Andrew Shaw, Hannah Soule, Natalie Spearin, Hannah Strout – Gordon and Lily Vinci.

Honors: Julia Barber, Alana Beggs, Jacob Bentley, Jack Blais, Daniel Cseak, Alexander Drolet, Abigail Dutton, Kelsie Fielder, Wyatt French, Jenna Gallant, Larissa Haskell, Isaac Hayden, Emma Jefferson, Hunter Johnson, Tanner Klasson, Shawn Libby, Isavel Lux Soc, David Martinez – Gosselin, Malcolm Martinez, Kaden McIntyre, Patrick Merrill, Julian Reight, Daniel Tibbetts, Hannah Torrey and Samuel Worthley.

Grade 10

High honors: Hailey Acedo-Worthing, Carson Appel, Abigail Beyor, Eve Boatright, Katherine Bourdon, Breckon Davidson, Nicole DeMerchant, Lillian Dorval, Loralei Gilley, Alivia Gower, Cooper Grondin, Elizabeth Hardy, Grady Hotham, Grace Hutchins, Olivia Hutchinson, Beck Jorgensen, Kaiden Kelley, Meadow Laflamme, Zephyr Lani-Caputo, Dale Lapointe, Dinah Lemelin, Brenden Levesque, Malachi Lowery, Lily Matthews, River Meader, Nabila Meity, Maddison Paquet, Timber Parlin, Kayla Peaslee, Jonathan Peil, Gabriel Pelletier, Sophia Pilotte, Kaden Porter, Ingrid Ramberg, Alexis Rancourt, Cadence Rau, Samantha Reynolds, Sarah Robinson, Ally Rodrigue, Noah Rushing, Emmalee Sanborn, Sophie Steeves, Daniel Stillman, Emma Stred, Jacob Sullivan, Mackenzie Toner, Emma Tyler, Lauren Tyler and Damon Wilson.

Honors: Kassidy Barrett, Angel Bonilla, Zane Boulet, Alexis Buotte, Caleb Buswell, Grace Ellis, Hailey Farrar, Alyssa Gagne, MaKayla Gagnon, Brianna Gardner, Carson Grass, Acadia Kelley, Brady Kirkpatrick, Casey Kirkpatrick, Matthew Knowles, Emmet Lani-Caputo, Joseph Lemelin, Gwen Lockhart, Brooklyn McCue, Gage Moody, Angelina Ochoa, Ethan Ouellette, Angelyn Paradis, Michael Perez, Casey Petty, Kathleen Pfleging, Karen Potter, Conner Rowe, Jarell Sandoval, Zuriah Smith, Kiley Stevens, Paige Sutter, Aidan Tirrell, Colby Willey, Katherine Williams and Joseph Wing.

Grade 9

High honors: Isabella Boudreau, Heather Bourgoin, Robin Boynton, Elizabeth Brown, Kaleb Brown, Nolan Burgess, Nathalia Carrasco, Elise Choate, Brielle Crommett, Noah Crummett, Gavin Cunningham, Keira Deschamps, Hailey Estes, Kaylee Fyfe, Brayden Garland, Caleb Gay, Nathan Hall, Natalie Henderson, Stephanie Kumnick, Mackenzie Kutniewski, Carol Labbe, Sydney Laird, Logan Lanphier, Aidan Maguire, Richard Mahoney III, David McCaig, Alexia McDonald, Holden McKenney, Austin Nicholas, Jazel Nichols, Jeremy Parker, Nathan Polley, Kinsey Stevens, Lara Stinchfield, Reese Sullivan and Baruch Wilson.

Honors: Tristan Anderson, Leah Bonner, Wyatt Bray, Eva Carlezon, Megan Carver, Simon Clark, Marshall Clifford, Hunter Foard, Leah Grant, Tara Hanley, Bella Homstead, Kameron Kronillis, Sophie Leclerc, Kiley Lee, Brody Loiko, Jack Lyons, Carlos Michaud, Royce Nelson, Alejandro Ochoa, Alyssa Ouellette, Remy Pettengill, Keith Radonis, Gavin Rowe, Giacomo Smith and Haley Webb.

Lake Association Annual Meetings 2021

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Image Credit: chinalakeassociation.org

2021 Lake Association Annual Meetings

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THREE MILE POND
???

CHINA LAKE
Saturday, July 31 • 8:30 – 11:30 a.m.
China Middle School

WASHINGTON LAKES
???

WEBBER POND
SAT., AUGUST 14, 9 a.m.
Vassalboro Community School

ANNABESSACOOK LAKE ASSN.
???

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To be included in this list, contact The Town Line at townline@fairpoint.net.

The 2021 China Lake watershed based survey completed

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by Jeanne Marquis

China Lake Association has announced the China Lakes Watershed-Based Survey has been completed and available to the public on their Website at https://www.chinalakeassociation.org/news.

The China Lake Watershed Survey systematically documented areas of soil erosion, ascertained the level of severity at each site and recommended viable solutions. The watershed survey is part of the Watershed-based Management Plan currently in development that will identify strategies for improving the water quality of China Lake over the next ten years.

The reason why the 2021 survey is relevant is the water quality of a lake is determined to a large extent by its watershed – the land that drains into the lake. The China Lake watershed extends 26 miles in Albion, Vassalboro and the towns of China. What happens on property anywhere in this area, even if the property is not in view of the lake, can eventually drain into the lake and impact water quality.

Scott Pierz, president of the China Lake Association, explains, “Historically, China Lake has been on the Department of Environmental Protection’s list of impaired waterbodies for such a long time. Algae blooms started to appear in the early 1980s.”

Soil erosion is a major contributor to quality issues because soil contains the nutrient phosphorus. Much of the phosphorus is naturally occurring in the soil from leached minerals or decaying organic materials. However, some phosphorus enters the soil from human practices such as phosphates in laundry detergent or from the application of fertilizers, both organic and chemical additives. Why phosphorus is potentially harmful to the quality of a lake is it feeds the algae causing a bloom depleting the water’s oxygen content. The lower oxygen level upsets the eco-balance, decreasing the overall water clarity and creating a dead zone that is not habitable by fish life.

The survey was conducted on October 3, 2020, as a project partnered by the China Lake Association (CLA), the Kennebec County Soil & Water Conservation District, China Region Lakes Alliance (CRLA), Kennebec Water District, Town of China, and Maine DEP. A team of local volunteers and technical leaders from the partnering organizations identified and prioritized 161 sites that were current sources of soil erosion and stormwater runoff on developed land within the watershed area.

They used standardized field data sheets and maps to indicate roads, buildings, driveways and stream crossings that were sources of soil erosion contributing to the polluted runoff into China Lake.

Each site was rated with a risk assessment of low, medium to high and recommendations for solutions were identified. Twenty sites were considered a high impact to the lake, 59 were medium impact, and the remaining 82 were low impact. The majority of the sites, 67 percent, were found in residential areas.

These sites tended to have less severe erosion issues that could be easily fixed at minimal cost. Seventeen percent of the sites were identified on private, state or town roads. The remaining sites were at lake accesses, commercial property, construction sites, driveways, public land and on trails. The China Lakes Association will reach out to all identified sites with recommended solutions. Project partners will seek grant funding to help cover costs, and the Youth Conservation Corps programs may be able to assist in erosion correction projects.

Pierz reminds us, “Every one of us, in some way, is impacted by China Lake’s water quality, and it’s up to us now to take action and do our part to help reduce stormwater impacts so that in the future we can all enjoy the beauty of China Lake, our recreational opportunities, and the wildlife that is so special to the environment in which we live.”

Since the 1980s when the algae blooms were at their worst in China Lake, considerable progress has been made due to the work of local and state organizations.

Pierz reported, “Regarding most recent trends, during the summers 2017 through 2019, China Lake experienced the best water quality in 30 years! This fact was corroborated through ongoing water quality monitoring completed by the Kennebec Water District during each of those summers. In 2020 water quality was down a bit, but we’re hopeful that all efforts provided by the CLA and CRLA programs, across time, will help heal China Lake.”