MORNING SENTINEL • September 26, 2020
Due to 30 years of declining water quality, Long Pond is at risk for impact by algal blooms, which are a rapid accumulation in algae population in freshwater. A group of more than 50 people, clad in neon yellow shirts, took the initial steps to fixing it Tuesday. Each pair of people went from property to property looking to identify and categorize sources of soil erosion and stormwater runoff on developed land in the watershed. Lynn Matson, water quality committee chair for the Belgrade Lakes Association, said 40% of algal bloom causing phosphorus comes from sources in the watershed, like erosion from driveways, yards, parking lots and more.