CAMDEN, Maine — An “unprecedented” algae bloom on Hosmer Pond, likely caused by erosion from an expansion at the Camden Snow Bowl, is putting the body of water at risk, according to a local resident who monitors the pond.
Lee Schneller Sligh said residents along Hosmer Pond are disappointed that the Maine Department of Environmental Protection has not yet fined Camden for “its disastrous contamination of Hosmer Pond, which is probably the cause of the proliferation of algae and other problems.”
Sligh has been a certified monitor since August 2014 through the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program. Her concerns about the pond began when the town undertook the expansion and modernization of the Camden Snow Bowl, which led to significant erosion into the water beginning in early 2014.
Hosmer Pond is a 53-acre pond that has depths of up to 16 feet, according to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and is located at the foot of Ragged Mountain where the ski resort is located.
Sligh said when there is a high concentration of algae, it can consume oxygen and harm fish.
“In addition to concerns about the ecosystem, we are also faced with the prospect of diminished property values if our formerly beautiful pond is turned into a place which is no longer appealing for swimming, fishing and pleasure boating,” Sligh said.
Sligh took photographs over the weekend at the pond, documenting blooms of algae. Some of the worst areas are off floats used for swimming.
“This algae outbreak is unprecedented in the memories of everyone with whom I have spoken,” she said.
This followed a serious bloom last August.
Algae blooms are normally associated with warm water temperatures, she said, “which is the reason that this very early and intensive eruption is so alarming and could be a precursor to very, very bad things to come this summer.”
She said she hopes the DEP will use its authority to prevent further erosion and to make the town a better steward of the pond.
The state agency has not taken any formal action against the town while it works with Camden on the issue, department spokesman David Madore said. He said the department had staff on site in December and everything was in order. He said another visit is planned within the next two weeks.
“The department’s first priority has been to stabilize the site, and it is not unusual for a large enforcement case to take this amount of time to process. It is the department’s policy not to comment on ongoing enforcement cases; however, I can assure residents that our staff continues to monitor the situation on Ragged Mountain and Hosmer Pond,” Madore said.
The town manager did not immediately respond to an email message sent Tuesday morning seeking comment about the situation.
There is little formal historical data on Hosmer Pond, Sligh said, with a few patchy readings over the past several decades. She said most evidence is anecdotal.
“But the anecdotal evidence is overwhelmingly strong and coming from numerous unrelated sources,” she said.